


A Finite Amount of Time

by Smartinski



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/M, stydia au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-01-06 05:28:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12204807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smartinski/pseuds/Smartinski
Summary: Stiles stares in disbelief. He even scoffs. He finds himself sitting in exactly the same stance as the little girl - arms crossed, eyebrows raised. And then he finds the amusement in it.“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you the doctor?”The little girl rolls her eyes. Stiles wants to grin. “Don’t be so ridiculous, I’m six years old.”One trip to the doctors changes Stiles' life for the better.





	1. Febuary

Stiles hates needles.

If he had it his way he’d happily get on the plane next week vaccination-free and approach every single disease without batting an eyelid. Heck, let him catch Hepatitis A.

He told his father this theory and he clumped him round the head, told him to get his ass down to his doctor or he’ll drag him there himself.

So, like any other man in their twenties, he done as his father told him and booked an appointment.

Now he sits, and waits, and stares at the dozens of pathlets on the wall that promote heavily on no smoking and his right leg won’t stop _shaking_.

So he thinks. He thinks about the long plane journey to Thailand and the wonderful weather and his job and the amazing things that he’ll get up to. He imagines himself standing beneath a waterfall, seeing an elephant for the first time, what his tan line from his sun glasses would look like, and...and he’s not excited.

He’s not done in New York yet. He likes it here, he hasn’t been here nearly as long as he’d hoped. He wants to see more, to know more. Scott hasn’t even managed to drag him up the Empire State building.

He wants to call it off, ask work to keep him rooted here, but then he’s got people in his ear, telling him not to miss such an opportunity, it’s “once in a lifetime” and “New York will always be here when he gets back”. Well, no _shit_ Sherlock. So will _Thailand_. Honestly, where is the correlation to this saying-?

“Have you come to see the doctor about your leg?”

A small child’s voice is least expected. Stiles stops reading “QUIT SMOKING TODAY” for the hundredth time and instead looks at the young girl leaning over the back of the chair next to him.

She’s five - maybe six - with curly auburn hair sitting in a loose bun on the top of her head. Her arms are folded on the back of the chair and her eyes, only to be described as the colour of the sea, are focused right on Stiles’ shaking leg.

He immediately stops shaking.

“No.” It comes out matter-of-factly and he’s sure to add annoyance.

“Well, you should have.” The girl replies back almost instantly, and she’s wearing an expression that’s both judgemental and confident. “Shaking in the legs can be a common cause of fatigue, weight gain and muscle weakness. Although, it probably is the weight gain. You don’t seem the type to exercise much. Worse case scenario, it’s Parkinson's disease. Have you been suffering from any speech problems lately?”

Stiles stares in disbelief. He even scoffs. He finds himself sitting in exactly the same stance as the little girl - arms crossed, eyebrows raised. And then he finds the amusement in it.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Are _you_ the doctor?”

The little girl rolls her eyes. Stiles wants to grin. “Don’t be so ridiculous, I’m six years old.”

“Okay, well if you’re not the doctor, then what are _you_ doing here?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business.” The girl lifts her chin. Stiles lets out a breath of laughter.

“You asked me first.”

“And you were stupid enough to answer.” She shrugs her shoulders. “I’ve figured out why you’re here, anyway. You’re nervous which means you are facing one of your fears and I can imagine that, just like ten percent of the earth’s population, it’s trypanophobia, the fear of needles - _yawn_. So that means you’re here for one of the two following options.”

Stiles blinks back the shock as she holds up her index finger. 

“One: blood test, or two: vaccinations.”

He’s honestly next to speechless. She’s six years old. 

“Well. If you knew what I was here for why did you even bother asking?”

She shrugs again. “I’ve been sitting here for...two hours and I’m bored.”

Stiles throws a lopsided smile that reads “bad luck, kid” before a very vocal sigh grabs his attention. He turns in his chair to see a lady holding a magazine but she drops it onto her lap and looks at the little girl with a raised eyebrow and a half amused expression.

“Maddie, how many times do I have to tell you to stop harassing strangers?”

 _Jesus...fucking...Christ_.

He looks at this lady - like, _really_ looks for probably a bit too long and his mouth’s basically hanging open but his mind has gone blank. No thoughts are processing and his brain can’t tell his face to stop fucking _staring_ so, alas, he’s still staring but luckily she’s talking to the kid so he can happily fathom in the beauty of this stranger for just a few moments longer.

“He doesn’t mind. I’m taking his mind off of the needles. See? He’s not shaking anymore. Look, your leg has stopped shaking.”

Stiles looks at the little girl and then down at his knee. He has no clue what’s going on and now the lady is looking at him and he can feel all the blood rush to his face.

“Well, would you look at that. I’m cured.”

“You’re welcome.” The child replies sarcastically.

The lady swats the child with the magazine before instructing her to sit in her chair properly. “I’m sorry, she loves to chat. A lot.”

The girl peeks back over at Stiles. “She’s trying to politely say that I’m nosy. It failed.”

“I’ll also politely say that if the attitude carries on I’ll be carting you over to Mrs Carey’s for a play date with James this afternoon.”

The girl’s face drops. “That’s an empty threat and you know it.”

The lady flips a page of the magazine with a smile. “Try me.”

The little girl shares a look with Stiles, then back at the woman before holding her hands up and sitting in silence for a couple of minutes. 

Stiles smiles to himself before stealing a few glances towards the woman. God, she is so beautiful. Her eyes are flitting over the pages and she leans more into the chair before rubbing the tip of her nose with her index finger and Stiles completely melts.

“I could make this, you know.”

The little girl’s back again, leaning over the chair and this time she’s holding a copy of The Engineer and pointing to the latest Dyson vacuum.

Stiles is now intrigued. “Really?”

“You bet. Give me the materials and I’ll have it done in ten minutes.”

“That sounds like a challenge.”

“ _That_ sounds like a time passing project. The real challenge would be...” She flicks through the magazine with concentration on her face before turning the magazine towards Stiles and pointing to a column.

“ _‘Robotic plesiosaur created to study extinct biological propulsion’_.” Stiles reads the header and looks up at the girl with an eyebrow raised. She’s sporting a toothy grin.

“A PhD student created a robot form of a plesiosaur to study it’s technique to try and improve submarines. Pretty cool, right?”

Stiles nodded, impressed. “Very cool.”

“I don’t know if you could tell, but she wants to be an engineer.” The lady spoke up.

Stiles turns to her, drowning in her velvet voice. He shakes his head. “Nope, I had no clue in the slightest.”

The lady smiles.

“It’s non stop. It’s all she pretty much talks about. Hell, she’s read that copy of The Engineer about three times.”

Stiles shakes her head. “She’s six, right?”

The lady nods her head, pride beaming off of her. “Nearly seven. Trust me, the shock of it wears off soon enough. Then she’s waking you up at three in the morning asking if she can get on the subway the following day to visit The National Museum of American History.”

“Did you cave?”

“We made a deal. I would take her if she allowed me to sleep in till ten.”

“Smart.”

“Well, she had to get it from somewhere.” The lady smiles adoringly at the little girl.

Before he knows it, Stiles is introducing himself and he doesn’t quite know how to stop. “I’m Stiles, by the way.”

“What the hell is a Stiles?”

Both Stiles and the woman look down at the little girl. Stiles blinks. She doesn’t even look up from her magazine.

" _Madeleine._ ”

The little girl looks up at her mother’s annoyance and Stiles’ amusement and pulls in her lips. “Oh dear. She’s using my full name.”

“You’re completely done for.” Stiles replies.

The lady turns back to him. “I’m-”

“Lydia Martin?” The nurse calls out.

“ _Finally_.” Maddie lets her head loll back. “I was starting to get the feeling that I’d be celebrating my tenth birthday in here.”

“Listen, you. Stop talking and move your butt down the hall.” Lydia snaps, ushering her child to move.

Stiles finds himself standing. Why is he standing?

“It was nice to meet you, Lydia.”

When she turns around, her strawberry-blonde hair floats around her face and she throws him a smile that lights the whole room. “And you, Stiles.”

“Try not to pester the doctor too much.” Stiles points at Maddie.

“I make no promises.” The girl flicks her hair over her shoulder. “Good luck with your fear of needles, Stiles.”

He watches them walk down the hall and something inside him snaps and urges him to go after Lydia. He can’t let it be left at this.

So, impulse takes over and he’s walking quickly down the hall and calling out Lydia’s name and she turns. And before he can register it in his own mind he’s asking her for her number.

And she’s hesitant.

Way to go, Stiles. You’re an idiot.

Maybe he missed a ring on her finger, or she has a boyfriend, or girlfriend, or she genuinely finds him annoying and is desperate for him to just piss off but then Maddie’s sighing with a hand on her hip and tapping her foot on the ground.

“You know, it may seem like I have all day, but I really don’t. The schedule is jam packed, guys, let's hurry this along.”

Lydia’s expression completely changes and Jesus Christ if looks could kill, Maddie would most certainly be dead. “Your schedule is most certainly jam packed. You have a play date at one o’clock in Mrs Carey’s apartment.”

Maddy’s mouth clamps shut before exhaling. “I get it, I went too far. I’ll be over here.”

Stiles finds himself laughing deeply as Lydia turns back to him. “She really is a treat.”

The tiny woman in front of him mumbles something before holding out her hand.

Stiles is confused, so he stares at the palm of her hand for a few seconds. “Uh, should I know how to proceed in this situation?”

“Give me your phone, Stiles.” Lydia interrupts with an eye roll.

“Oh! Okay, yes.” Stiles basically jumps from the ground before pulling out his phone and placing it in Lydia’s hand.

He’s about to tell her that the passcode is ‘1234’ but she’s already sussed that and she’s adding herself as a contact. Stiles closes his mouth and lets her finish.

“There. Good luck with your appointment.” Lydia smiles and hands Stiles’ phone back before she moves away from him. “Now, if you don’t mind, I need to deal with this little madam.”

Stiles laughs. “Have fun.”

Then she’s around the corner and out of sight. Stiles cannot believe his luck. He’s still beaming when his name is called, his heart's still racing when he sits in the chair and his leg doesn’t shake when the doctor prods him with the needles.

He leaves the doctors and grabs some lunch then jumps on a bus to Scott’s and the whole time he’s thinking about how wonderfully Lydia’s name rolled off of his tongue.

{}

 

Scott's talking and Stiles is not listening.

He's well aware of what the boy with the lopsided jaw is talking about just by how his body is moving. He's sitting on the arm of his sofa, his eyes wide and his arms flying about and Stiles definitely just lip read the words "it was this big" so he knows his best friend is boasting about what wild animal he had to treat in his clinic today.

Stiles is nodding along and raising his eyebrows at the correct moments but all he can think about is how long to leave it before messaging Lydia Martin.

Allison kind of has perfect timing - she walks through the kitchen and grabs her tea before settling down on the sofa next to Scott.

"Allison, when exactly is it acceptable to message a girl after getting her number?"

She looks over her cup with two round eyes while Scott nearly falls off the side of the couch.

Stiles rolls his eyes. "Keep up the faith guys, it's really warming up my insides when you both look at me like that."

Allison clears her throat. "I'm sorry but you need to explain everything before I give you an honest answer."

Stiles sighs, looks at Scott who has decided to sit properly next to Allison, and sighs again. "Fine. I was at the doctors getting my shots-"

"Romantic."

"Do you want to hear this story?"

"Shut up, Scott." Allison hisses silently before turning back to Stiles. "Proceed."

"Okay, so I'm sitting there, nervous, my leg's shaking and then a little girl starts, like, firing questions - _smart questions_ \- at me and-"

"I've got to interrupt again. Stiles, _please tell me you didn't ask a child for their number_ -"

"Scott, I swear to god..."

"Let me guess." Allison crosses her legs. "Hot mom?"

Stiles basically sinks into his seat at the thought of Lydia. "Hot mom? Hot _mom?!_ I cannot fathom how hot this mom is. Nope - scrap hot. Scrap sexy. She's a goddamn _angel_. She literally must have floated down from heaven with this smart ass child and decided that today she was going to completely fuck me up because I cannot, I repeat, I _cannot_ stop thinking about her."

Scott and Allison remain still and slightly caught off guard by Stiles' little outburst.

"Text her right now."

 

{}

 

She answers his text in the evening when he's brought dinner round to his dad's place and is plating it up.

Oh, and she said yes to him taking her out.

Stiles drops a plate. His dad clumps him round the head again. (Then hugs him for actually taking a girl out on a date.)

 

{}

 

Stiles spends the following three days in a constant battle with himself on where to take Lydia. Half of him wants to go all out and completely stun her with his exellent taste in fine dining but then he realises that he actually hasn't been anywhere fancy in New York and starts to panic.

He calls Allison for advice - she says that the best date is somewhere quiet and romantic, somewhere we you can talk and relax. She suggests a place on 46th street but then Scott chimes in to remind her that he got food poisening from there which leaves Stiles in an even more panicked state because _oh dear god_ what if he takes her to a place and she gets food poisening and never talks to him ever again?

He texts Malia, asks her where her and Kira have eaten recently that's nice. She replies with an extremely crude comment and he contemplates blocking her number.

Isaac is no help. He assumes that wherever Stiles decides, Lydia will stand him up anyhow. He definitely blocks Isaac's number.

So he turns up to his dad's place for dinner and he sits opposit him and before diving into his homemade cassorol he asks his father a question.

"Dad, where did you take mom on your first date?"

His father pauses with his fork hovering in front of his mouth and Stiles notices the expression on his face completely changes. It's shock and it's pain and it's full of love and it makes Stiles want to cry and hug him all at once.

Rest assured, his dad smiles at the memory and proceeds. "I took her to the movies. We watched the first rendition of Jaws, I tried my hardest to not look like I was crapping myself and she admitted afterwards that it was the worst movie she'd ever seen."

Stiles grins lopsidely.

"We ended up walking through town for hours, talking and laughing and I walked her to her door and that night I kissed a girl for the first time. It went very well." Noah leans back in his chair and smiles.

Stiles gasps sarcastically. "I _knew_ it."

His father rolls his eyes and lifts up his beer. "But it was different back then. Times have changed, and I was seventeen. If I was in my twenties in this day and age, I would pick a place that she won't forget. As long as she remembers, it will be the perfect first date. What restaurant have you walked past that you've been meaning to go to?"

Stiles takes a few moments to think before his eyebrows snap up. "That Italian place down 83rd street. The menu looks amazing."

Noah winks. "Bingo."

Stiles settles and breathes out. "Well. That was easy."

He messages Lydia in bed that night, asking her if she likes Italian food on a Friday night.

She replies ten minutes later with her address.

 

{}

 

Nerves. God damn nerves.

With every step he takes down Lydia's road he can hear his heart thumping through his ears. He's absolutely had it with himself, why does he have to be so nervous?

He nearly laughs at how ridiculous he's being, takes two steps at a time to Lydia's apartment and buzzes on the correct number, all the while shaking his head of any nervous thoughts that would make him turn around and head in the direction of the Hudson River.

Then the door opens before he gets a chance to knock and Lydia's smiling at him wearing the most gorgeous black dress with her hair done up and he's completely frozen on the spot.

"Hello again, Stiles. Maddie wanted to ask you herself if you'd gotten over the fear of needles but I was quick to ship her off to my mother's, otherwise we wouldn't be leaving here without being asked twenty-one questions."

She's talking and he hears everything she says but he simply cannot reply because she has completely captured him with her eyes and he decides right in this moment that she's a witch because he cannot look away, he can't even _blink_.

"I, er, I wouldn't have minded." He says with a shrug, then immediately hates himself for his shitty reply.

" _I_ definitely would have." Lydia reponds as she closes her door. "So, what lovely Italian place have you picked for us tonight?"

Stiles follows her down the steps, enjoying the sound of her heels clicking on the floor and the light of the moon catching in her hair. "Just some place I walk past on my way to work. I've never been there so I'm afraid I can't give any rating as of yet."

"The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery." She replies with a quirked eyebrow.

He almost trips over his own feet. "Anais Nin?"

Lydia's eyes light up in shock. "You've heard of her?"

"Yeah, my mom had a couple of her novels. I used to read them out of boredem when I was younger." Stiles gets a rush of nostalgia, blowing dust off of hard back covers in his mother's study.

"Your mom has good taste." Lydia smiles. Stiles doesn't correct her.

"So, I've got to ask, what with your knack for knowledge and your genius offspring," - and he blows it with calling a stranger's child 'offspring' and is about to call it a night but Lydia lets out a spluttered laugh and all is well and he might be in love - "what's your story? What's the reason you get out of bed every morning?"

It's almost like a ray of light shines out of Lydia, her eyes sparkle with happiness. "Science."

"Science?"

"Science. Facts, figures, math. I live for it."

Stiles is about to pass out. She's amazing and would it be embarrassing if he starts crying and bearhugs her?

"Oh, so you're a smartass?" He decides to say, because he lacks social tact and he hates himself. But Lydia laughs again and knocks his arm as they turn the corner to another street.

"I am indeed a smartass. Grew up in California, graduated early into MIT...five years later I have a PhD in mathmatics and science, I'm working in a research center down town and I have managed to bring into the world a much smaller, much more _annoying_ smartass and she goes by the name of Madeleine."

And that's where he completely falls for Lydia Martin and knows he won't recover easily if he doesn't see her again after tonight.

For the rest of the walk he fires questions at her - he just wants to hear her voice, learn every single thing about her and then some. He's starting to think they'll run out of things to talk about by the time they order their food but he's extremely wrong.

They reach the restaurant, and she lets a really bright smile slip as she studies the outside - fake candles and greenery hanging over the windows and soothing music pouring out of the door and into the street. Stiles mentally fist bumps himself.

They're seated and have red wine brought to them and Stiles tries ever so hard to not show how much he hates the taste of it but he'll drink it anyway to relax and drown away any remaining nerves. Lydia ponders over the menu with her finger and sometimes narrates some of it out loud and it makes Stiles smile. They have their orders taken and the waitor places a basket of bread on the tablet and that's how Stiles learns that Lydia seriously loves bread.

"So, Stilinski," - she's memorized his last name from when he told the waitor that he had a booking under that name and he melts a little inside - "enough about me." (Never.) "What do you do?"

Stiles breathes out, watching Lydia start on her fifth piece of bread. "I work for the FBI."

She nearly chokes, clearly she didn't see that one coming and Stiles is happy to catch her by surprise. "Wow. How did that come about?"

"Oh, do I not seem like the type to be in the FBI? What threw you off, was it the physique or the fact that I tripped up the curb just outside?"

She laughs and her eyes sparkle. "Definitely the curb escapade."

She then looks at his arms quickly, pulls in her lips and directs her attention back to the bread.

Dear god, she just checked out his biseps. This is the best date _ever_.

"Do you enjoy it?" Lydia asks.

You looking at my biseps? A definite yes. "It's pretty exciting. I was sure they'd had enough of my hyperactive ass by now but they keep bringing me back onto the big cases and they're always the fun ones. It's not the worst thing in the world."

"Dangerous?"

"Pfft. Danger's my middle name." Stiles watches Lydia pull her lips in with a smirk and roll her eyes and he wonders why he thinks these one liners are ever a good idea.

The food arrives and hits all the right spots and Stiles gets to listen to Lydia being very vocal about her raviloli and they finish off with an amazing cheesecake for two.

And as they're bantering back and forth and knocking each other's forks out of the way Stiles feels like he could be best friends with this woman.

"So, why'd you choose the name 'Madeleine'?" Stiles asks after a bite of vanilla cheesecake.

Lydia looks taken aback by the question, as if she's never been asked that. "My grandmother's girlfriend was called Madeleine. I've always loved it."

"It's very lovely."

"Much like this cheesecake." Lydia mumbles as she polishes off the rest of it. "You chose well."

"What can I say, I'm a natural when it comes to fine dining."

They finish off the bottle of red and when the bill arrives Lydia so very nearly paid in secret before Stiles caught on and they then began to bicker back and forth until it ended with Lydia deciding that she _must_ pay for the next meal. That's when Stiles' heart kind of skips a beat because that means that she wants to see him again. Somebody fucking pinch him.

When they get outsite, the cold air hits them, the alcohol warms their skin and the restaurant music follows behind them and it feels just right. Stiles looks to Lydia and takes her in for a second.

"Question - and I'm only asking this because I absolutely _adore_ hearing people tell me my flaws, but how comes you were hesistant when I asked for your number?"

Lydia looks at him with this look that sends his world turning sideways and once they get to the other side of the road she halts, turns to face him and smiles.

"Stiles Stilinski, I have Stage 2 breast cancer."

The wind is knocked out of him.

"The reason I'm telling you this is because tonight has been unexpectedly...wonderful and I really want to see you again. But I can't make that decision for you and you need to know all of the facts before this escalates any further."

("Facts. I live for it.")

Well. Holy _shit_.


	2. Feburary II

Stiles spends the rest of the night with Lydia in a twenty-four hour Starbucks. She takes her coffee black and is disgusted with the amount of milk and sugar Stiles has in his. He convinces her to try some (a _lot_ of convincing) and she nearly spits it back in his face.

It's nice, sitting opposite her, watching the city lights shine through the window, her eyes sparkling when she looks up at him.

He nearly, _nearly_ forgets that half an hour ago she told him she has cancer.

Lydia notices the flicker in his expression - she sets her coffee down and places her arms delicately on the table.

"I was diagnosed last week."

He blinks, she doesn't falter.

"There's really not much else to it. I'm waiting on dates for tests and scans and evaluations...I haven’t even told my mother yet." Her mouth stays open but she has no more to say, so she shrugs.

Stiles gets it. He does. She doesn't want pity, she doesn't want to cry. No, she wants to focus on her life, her career, her daughter. She doesn't want to think about it, she doesn't want the _time_ to think about it. She wants a _distraction_.

Stiles realises they are more similar than first anticipated.

"Let's play 'Twenty-One Questions'."

Lydia frowns. "I'm sorry, are we fifteen-years-old?"

"Come on, it's not always a shitty drinking game." Stiles rolls his eyes. "Ask me a question."

A sigh falls from her lips. "Fine. What's your favourite colour?"

"Really? You're gonna start with that?"

"I'm pretty sure you have to answer my question."

"Red. Films or documentaries?"

She scoffs. "Documentaries."

"Of course."

"Geography or history?"

"History. Favourite band?"

"RY X. Most embarrassing high school memory?"

"Hold on a sec', let me just pull out my 'One Thousand and Nine Embarrassing High School Moments' hardback from my pocket."

Lydia snickers. "You have to answer the question."

"Right. Eighth Grade, I take this girl that I've been crushing on for ages to the school dance. I arrive late due to my jeep breaking down, I stand on her foot when dancing and I spill punch all over her dress. Later on I catch her hooking up with her ex boyfriend. Oh, and it turned out she only went with me because of a _dare_."

Lydia stares wide eyed. "That's actually...really sad."

" _Embarrassingly_ sad."

"Shall we find everyone involved and kill them?"

Stiles grins, his heart swells. "See, that sounds tempting but I'd rather we didn't get put away for murder on our first date. Favourite time of the year?"

They carry on until the nightlife pours out onto the streets and into the coffee shop, and when the atmosphere begins to get heavy and Lydia's voice is drowned out by the noise, they decide to leave, holding in laughter as they pass a group of drunk guys chanting the cashier's name as they pass.

It's cold when they step outside and Lydia pulls her cardigan from her bag and wraps herself in it and Stiles decides he wants to see her drowning in his jacket some day. 

They take the long route back to Lydia's without a spoken decision, neither of them calling each other out.

"You know, I didn't start this game for you to bully me."

"It's not my fault that you're the one percent of the population that prefers cats to dogs." Lydia laughs, like _really_ laughs with her head tilted back and it's the best sound Stiles has ever heard and it's even better that he's the reason for it. 

He doesn't want to leave her tonight, he wants to stay with her and talk till the sun rises and he itches to learn everything about her. It's easy with Stiles, he wears his personality on his sleeve but Lydia, she's a book that's barely open and Stiles wants to memorize every single page.

When Lydia steps into her apartment and leans her head against the door, Stiles decides to blurt that out. In a more casual way, of course.

"Dinner, tomorrow night at my place. Thoughts?"

She smiles, grins even. Good sign. "Sure. My mom has Maddie for the weekend."

Stiles' stomach flips. "I'll pick you up?"

"No, text me your address. I'll come to you."

They're both smiling sheepishly and hovering like a couple of teenagers until Lydia finally breaks the silence and says good night.

It’s a twenty minute walk to Stiles' place and he doesn't stop smiling the entire time.

 

}

 

"She's...amazing." Stiles sighs.

"I've gathered that, Stiles, you've said this fifteen times." His father smirks at him from across the table. "What's the catch?"

"What?"

"You're hesitant to say anything else. There must be a catch. Is she married?"

"No!" Stiles nearly yells. "God, no. She's...well-"

"A man?"

"Dad."

"Eleven toes?"

"She has cancer."

Noah nearly chokes on his bacon. "Holy _shi_ -"

"I know. My exact reaction.” Stiles stabs at his fried egg. “You know what pisses me off about it? When I met her, I genuinely thought she would be the one to outlive the human race. She's unbelievably smart and bright and-"

"Amazing?"

Stiles scowls at his father. "Yes. And it sucks, dad. Completely sucks. _Jesus_ , I'm sitting here complaining when _she's_ the one going through it! I just-I'm doing everything to stop myself from showing up at her door because I want to be with her all the time. You know how crazy I sound? I've literally just met her. All of this is completely _insane_."

"It's not insane, Stiles. You're falling for her, it's as simple as that. It's good - it's _healthy_. You just gotta take it easy, illness or not. Carry on as normal, make her dinner tonight and enjoy having feelings for her. Life is short and things like this don't always happen so appreciate every moment."

Stiles is rubbing his forehead when he looks over at his dad. "Dad, are you getting sentimental?"

"Shut up and eat your breakfast."

 

}

 

“Which one?”

Stiles is currently staring at a pram that costs two thousand dollars and his mind is completely elsewhere. And by elsewhere, meaning Lydia.

He’s thinking about what meal he’s going to prepare, whether his apartment is clean enough, what she’ll look like sitting on his couch with her feet tucked up when Scott interrupts him.

His best friend is holding up two baby bottles, one more expensive than the other but Stiles really cannot for the life of him tell the difference between the two.

“I...they both look the same.”

Scott stutters, shifting feet. “Well, no. This one, here, allows you to combine breastfeeding _and_ bottle feeding, and it’s natural. It says so right here.”

Stiles blinks, squints his eyes and raises his eyebrow. “You have _no_ idea what you’re talking about, do you.”

“Not a clue.”

“Get the clear one, keep it neutral.”

Scott places the expensive one back on the shelf and drops the other in his basket before they continue to venture round the newborn section.

“I can’t believe Allison left us both to do this.”

“I can’t believe Allison _trusted_ us both to do this.” Stiles smirks. “Why are you buying all this so early, anyways?”

“We want to stay prepared. Preparation is key. She already has a hospital bag packed in the trunk of the car.” Stiles watches the amused expression drop off Scott’s face as if he has been punched with a bag of realisation. “Oh, god. We need a car seat. Where are the car seats?”

“Scott, you’ve got seven months. Seven months!”

“That’s going to fly by, Stiles. While I’m running around ticking things off of lists and mumbling paragraphs from childcare books in my sleep, you’ll be graciously floating in a warm sea and arresting bad guys. And by the time you get back, you’d have missed my several breakdowns and Allison’s screaming and you’ll just see the little tiny outcome.”

Stiles freezes for just a second, a wave of nausea washing over him. He’s leaving next week.

What frightens him the most is his initial reaction - he doesn’t want to go.

He _wants_ to see Scott’s breakdowns and he _wants_ to hold Allison’s hand as she goes through all the horrible symptoms of pregnancy. He doesn’t want to miss anything.

He doesn’t want to miss Lydia. Not a single day. Not a single second.

“...I mean, I know you’re last minute and all but you seriously need to consider packing soon. Have you even gone shopping yet? Should we get it all now?”

“Huh?”

“Stiles, you’re going a week from today. Do you even know where your passport is?”

“My dad keeps hold of that for obvious reasons.” Stiles mutters. “I’m the obvious reason.”

“I got it - Stiles?” The softness changes in Scott’s voice so quickly and it’s so sincere. Stiles knows what’s coming. “Are you...do you want to go?”

Stiles lifts his shoulders, lets out a rush of air. “Of course!”

“No, you don’t. You idiot. You’re an idiot. Why did you say yes to them if you don’t want to go?”

A noise escapes Stiles’ throat as he thinks of what to say. “Because! Because-”

“Because...”

“Because, I...hadn’t met Lydia then.”

Stiles’ voice is soft and embarrassed and Scott is looking at him with his eyebrows risen.

“And you weren’t having a baby then.” Stiles adds. He can list so many more reasons, but he senses that Scott completely understands.

“Dude...I mean, you won’t miss a lot. Everything will still be pretty much the same when you get back.”

“Oh yeah, of course, except there will be a little infant in your house.”

“Just that.” Scott smiles. “Do you really feel this strongly for Lydia? I mean, it’s only been one date...”

Stiles wants to blurt everything out but it’s not his place to say. It’s not his place to talk about another person’s illness when she hasn’t even told her mom.

“I can’t explain it.” He decides to go with that. “It feels different, it’s nice. It’s easy...with her, she’s just - I can’t explain it, Scott.”

His best friend stares at him with proud yet sympathetic eyes and Stiles knows he can’t say anything to make the situation better. The only advice he can take is his own.

“All I know is, that...if I get on that plane, I’ll be leaving behind a huge regret. I just know it.”

 

}

 

God, he’s freaking out... _again._

The dreaded nerves are back with a vengeance and he’s cooked the pasta too early and the sauce has spilled down his top - his _new_ top, god dammit - and he’s just realised how fucking _stupid_ his Return of the Jedi artwork looks on the wall.

Just as he’s about to rush into his room to change, the door rings, and he’s either about to collapse or combust but he keeps it together and answers the door.

There she stands, with her hair flowing down to her elbows and a bottle of red in one hand and a smile on her face. 

Shit, shit, _shit_ , she’s beautiful.

“You have sauce down your shirt.”

“Yes, thank you, Lydia. I’m aware and I _was_ on my way to change when you rudely interrupted.”

“That’s a shame.” She floats past him and into the kitchen. “I’ll just head off and take this chocolate cake with me.”

Another thing to add to the novel of Things About Lydia Martin - she most definitely has a sweet tooth.

“No, nope, your presence is a blessing. And so is the cake.”

 

}

 

“Nice artwork.”

Stiles takes a few seconds to decide whether she’s being genuine or sarcastic, so he guesses. “Thanks. I’m kinda thinking twice on it now.”

“No, it’s cool.” Lydia’s studying it with her arms crossed and her lips pursed.

Art watching art.

“If it was a poster, I’d be judging you.” She turns to him and her lips quirk up. “But it’s got a nice feel to it. Makes your apartment almost look chic.”

“Dang, that wasn’t the look I was going for at all.” He finishes plating up the food and setting it down on the table. “I was aiming more for a man pad. I might just purchase a pool table.”

Lydia rolls her eyes and Stiles grins, watching her hunt the kitchen for two glasses. When she finds the cupboard, she lets out a short laugh. “Alas!”

Stiles grimaces as she pulls out his Darth Vader mug with a triumphant smile. 

“Hey, in my defence, that was a gift. I don’t throw away gifts.”

“You liar. You got this on the same day as the artwork.” She grabs her bottle of red and begins to pour some in a glass.

“Thank you, so much, but I’m honestly fine.” Stiles quickly adds, gesturing to the disgusting red liquid.

“Well, it’s lucky I bought wine for me and whisky for you.”

Something flutters in Stiles’ chest as she pours whiskey into his Darth mug and settles their drinks next to the food.

“Your reaction to the wine in the Italian did _not_ go unnoticed.” She laughs ever so lightly when they sit in front of each other.

The realisation sinks in and the flutters don’t stop. She’s noticing things, too. “I’ve never been a great liar, I’ll admit.”

They tuck in and Lydia’s expression is purely shock and enjoyment and Stiles doesn’t think he’s ever been happier. “This is incredible. Do you cook a lot?”

“Kinda. It started when I was in school when I realised that all my dad was eating was take out. It’s carried on ever since.”

“That’s sweet. Are you close?”

“Very. I’m with him all the time.” That’s when Stiles realises he hasn’t spent a great deal of time in his own apartment. That’s probably why it stays so clean. “He’s pretty much the main reason I joined the FBI. Him and Scott.”

“Scott...?”

“My best friend. Known him since we were yea big. Inseparable ever since. He’s great, you’d like him a lot.” Stiles rambles on.

“He sounds nice.” Lydia smiles.

He wants to ask about her friends, he thinks she wants to talk about them, too. But he’s getting the vibe that there’s nothing to actually talk about and a layer of sorrow settles around his heart. It’s another conversation for another time.

 

}

 

“So then, _somehow_ , I’m on the first floor by myself. It’s dark, I barely know how to _hold_ a gun, let alone _use_ a gun at this point...”

Stiles’ hands are moving everywhere as he explains his story and Lydia’s hiding her laugh behind her glass and there's a half eaten chocolate cake on the table and they’ve somehow managed to shuffle closer together on his couch and he can’t remember when that exactly happened.

His voice is getting louder and Lydia’s laughing more which are obvious signs that they’ve had a fair amount to drink. That, and the fact both bottles are half empty.

And Stiles is a complete lightweight.

“Then there’s this guy and he’s got me at gunpoint and I am completely panicking at this point. I’m ready to beg this guy for my life until one of the guys shoot him down.”

Lydia’s face settles and she takes another sip of wine.

“But, _plot twist_ \- as the guy goes down he pulls the trigger, and guess where the bullet ends up.”

Lydia’s eyes scan his whole body as if the bullet mark would be visible through clothing. “Am I actually supposed to guess?”

“Imagine the worst possible place you could get shot.”

She’s placid for a second until her eyes bulge and she’s staring right at his jeans.

Stiles’ cheeks flush. “God, Lydia, no! It was my toe, jesus!”

“What?! You think getting shot in your toe is worse than getting shot in the penis?”

“It was my _toe_ , Lydia. They shot my toe, it was _obliterated_.”

Lydia’s head falls back as she laughs at loud, and then Stiles is laughing and everything is warm and completely amazing.

“Let me see it.”

“You actually wanna see it?”

“Most definitely.”

He shrugs, places his mug on the coffee table and pulls his sock off, revealing his missing pinky toe.

“Wow.” Lydia leans closer and squints her eyes. “You complete baby, it’s barely a scratch.”

“Are you _kidding_ me?! The whole toe, Lydia, it’s _gone_.”

She’s laughing even harder, nearly doubling over while Stiles puts his sock back on and grumbles to himself.

“Hey, hey. It could have been worse.” She sighs, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“I nearly lost my leg.” Stiles nods, turning to look at her.

And they’re so close. He can feel her breath on his cheek and he can smell her sweet perfume and whatever expensive conditioner she uses.

She curls in her lips to stop another laugh and nods. “Okay, Stiles.”

He’s not thinking. Well, that’s a lie. He thinks for precisely one second and in that second he decides that kissing her is a brilliant idea.

He’s completely right.

His lips meet hers and a little noise of shock escapes her, but then her whole body relaxes and his hand has found a home in her hair so easily and she’s tugging so lightly on his shirt.

Then their mouths are open and it’s so, _so_ intoxicating. There’s no fireworks, Stiles has always thought that the phrase is total bullshit, and this is way, _way_ better. It’s easy and scary and so _natural_ and he can feel the blood thumping in his head and around his heart and she tastes so sweet and he wants more. _God,_ does he want more.

But then he also tastes wine and whiskey mixed together and maybe this isn’t how this experience should go. So with all the power in his body and mind, he breaks the kiss and leans his forehead against hers and lets in a breath of air.

Her eyelashes are fluttering against the tip of his nose and her finger is brushing against his skin where his shirt ends by his collarbone and he cannot remember feeling this content, ever.

“Sorry.” He mumbles, his heart still pounding and his lungs still gathering air.

“Why are you sorry?” He’s happy to hear that she’s regaining her breath as well which means it wasn’t one sided and what a feeling that is. What a feeling.

“We’re pretty drunk.”

She nods against his head. “We are. It’s been fun.”

Stiles copies her movements. “It has.”

Lydia lifts her head first, her eyes falling to his tv and the collection of movies he possesses. She gets up and browses.

“I thought you prefer documentaries to movies. I do recall you even scoffed at the mere thought.”

“This is a one off occasion. I’m drunk which results to my brain reacting slower and I’m under the influence of good wine, so it’s totally understandable that I would be picking out a Rom Com at this moment in my life.”

Stiles grins, leans into the sofa and grabs the blanket that’s hanging over the back. “I won’t tell anyone.”

She puts in This Is 40, settles next to him, sends him a cute playful smile and rests on his shoulder.

He doesn’t know when he falls asleep exactly - somewhere between Paul Rudd riding his bike and thinking that he could do this with Lydia forever. Till the day he dies.

And when he wakes up the next morning, his neck aching from the arm rest and Lydia’s small body rising and falling when every breath Stiles takes, he’s contemplating calling his boss to cancel his flights.

That decision is confirmed when Lydia opens her eyes and stares right back at him.

“Jesus _Christ_ , did I show you my toe last night?”


	3. March

So it’s safe to say Stiles’ boss is completely furious with him.

Stiles knows this because he’s been given the shit cases, the shit paperwork, has had to make everyone’s coffee three times today, oh...and the fact his boss told him that he is completely furious with him.

He _was_ ready to tell a complete porky and say he couldn’t go abroad due to a massive family emergency, but then that is just a jinx waiting to happen.

So he was completely honest. Blamed it on the wrath of love.

It worked, to a certain degree.

I mean - yes - he _has_ spent the past two hours shredding paper and - yes - he _did_ get prodded with needles unnecessary but at least he’s not boarding a plane tomorrow.

Around lunchtime is when he starts angrily mumbling to himself after he is assigned with organising the case files but then Lydia Martin messages him and the hundreds of case files seem completely fine.

They meet up on their lunch breaks in Central Park. Stiles complains about his day (without revealing the reason why he’s being tormented at work) and she explains what her team and herself are currently researching.

Naturally, most of it goes straight over Stiles’ head but she’s so passionate and it gets Stiles asking more and more questions.

When they have ten minutes left, she knocks him on the arm and tells him off for letting her talk too much. He really, _really_ doesn’t mind.

And when they pack up their stuff and stand up, he really thinks they’re about to go their own ways before her eyes light up.

“Would you like to go out tonight? I was thinking about taking Maddie to the Sea, Air & Space Museum.”

Stiles is completely taken aback. The fact that they’ve been on _two_ dates and she’s completely okay and ready for Stiles to meet her daughter for the first time - well, he’s met Maddie but not _properly_ and this is a big deal and he’s kind of _honored-?_

“I mean, unless you wouldn’t like to. That’s fine.” She’s mumbling quickly as if she’s made a complete mistake and Stiles is a stupid man who thinks too much and takes too long.

“No! No, I’d love to. I really would.” He speeds, nodding his head a bit too eagerly. “A-as long as that’s cool with you.”

“Of course.” Lydia rearranges the colour on her coat. “Thankfully for you, she’s taken a huge liking towards you. A rare occurrence.”

Stiles beams. “I mean, I’m also a rare occurrence so it does make sense.”

She rolls her eyes with a laugh. “Go back to work. And be at mine for six.”

 

{}

 

“Madeleine, it’s _dirty._ I’ve told you _three times_.” Lydia yells as she opens the door. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Stiles smiles back, following Lydia into her home.

“I’m contemplating whether you two should go and I stay here with several bottles of wine because _someone_ is being a pain in my ass.” Lydia yells up the stairs.

“I must get it from somewhere!” Maddie yells back. Stiles pulls in his lips to prevent himself from laughing, but Lydia sees through this.

“I swear to god, if you laugh...” She points a finger at him before storming to the basket of washing by the machine and pulls out a small jumper. “Make yourself at home.”

Stiles nods, watching her storm up the stairs with the jumper before he looks around her apartment.

It’s lovely. Detailed. Very Lydia.

He wanders past the kitchen and down the hall when he reaches the living room. He lets his eyes wander over the art hanging up until he reaches a large photo of Lydia and Maddie. Maddie’s giggling whilst Lydia holds her hand over her daughter's eyes. He smiles.

“...I mean, you just done all that to prove me wrong. You yell at me when _I_ do that.” Stiles hears Maddie’s voice as they both come down the stairs.

“I _will_ call a babysitter and me and Stiles will go without you.”

“Stiles is here?”

Maddie’s voice sounds ever so small and he panics. Is she worried? Scared?

“Yes, I think he’s in the lounge if you want to say hello.”

And five seconds later, her head pops round the door and she’s peering at him with curious eyes. “Long time no see.”

He smiles. “Make any cool robots since I saw you last?”

“Maybe.” She mumbles, moving in the room a little more. “Cry over any other ridiculous irrational fears since I saw you last?”

Stiles squints. “Maybe.”

And then she smiles, bounds into the room and sits on the leather couch. “Have you ever been to the space museum?”

“I haven’t, no. I’m assuming this isn’t your first rodeo?”

“You bet. This will be my third time visiting, so get ready for some cool facts.”

Stiles laughs, sitting in the arm chair. “Been to school today?”

“Obviously, mom doesn’t let me flake.”

“That’s a good thing.”

“It’s not. I already know everything they’re teaching in our grade.”

“You learn good life lessons in school, trust me.” Stiles waggles a finger.

She rolls her eyes. Looks exactly like Lydia. “What kind of life lessons?”

“How to stand up for yourself-”

“I already do that.”

“That boys are stupid-”

“Boys are gross and a waste of time, I’ve already established this.” She finishes her sentence with a flick of her hair.

A laugh blurts out of Stiles’ mouth as Lydia walks in.

“We ready?”

 

{}

 

“Okay, Mads. Take the lead.” Lydia exhales once she’s purchased their tickets (Stiles tried his hardest to pay but she’s very stubborn) and they head over the bridge and onto the ship.

It’s absolutely freezing, of course, so Stiles is glad he’s worn his scarf and gloves. And when he sees Lydia shiver slightly as they walk into the first exhibit, his instinct takes over and he rubs her arms to warm her up whilst he looks around.

She’s taken aback and a cute little smile springs onto her face and Maddie turns around and catches the interaction and rolls her eyes and _god_ he feels like a teenager being caught doing something way out of his comfort zone.

He smiles at Lydia awkwardly before retreating his arms but she catches his hand, entwining her expensive leather gloves around his old fuzzy grey ones.

And it feels really, really nice.

They proceed to wander around a few planes, Maddie commentating throughout the whole thing and it’s adorable, and quite frankly interesting listening to the seven-year-old explain everything with such detail.

“...and these aircrafts were nicknamed the Green Lizards. Oh, follow me! Let’s go through the ship tunnels, it’s so cool!” Maddie yells, running in front to a passage.

Lydia smiles after her. “She gets so excited.”

Stiles nods, looking down at Lydia. “You must be proud.”

“ _So_ proud.” She says without hesitation. “She is my greatest achievement. She always will be.”

Stiles smiles and looks down at his feet. He wants to ask, _god_ it’s on the tip of his tongue but it’s not his place-

“She doesn’t know.”

And just like that. Lydia reads his god-damn mind.

“I-uh...”

“Stiles, we can talk about it. _I_ can talk about it. It’s not forbidden.”

They enter the ship tunnels and watch Maddie run through.

“I want to talk about it with you. I know you have questions. And I definitely have questions to ask you. First of all, what the hell are you thinking?” She smirks, and before allowing Stiles to add anything she squeezes his hand. “We’ll talk tonight, me and you. Okay?”

Stiles exhales, squeezes her hand back, nods and smiles. “Okay.”

“Isn’t it cool?! It feels like you’re part of the crew.” Maddie yells with a grin.

 

{}

 

“And this one controls the engine. Press it.” Maddie instructs Stiles, leaning over his lap to gesture to the button.

Stiles does as he’s told and presses the button, watching the windscreen of the plane light up.

“And this one here...wiper blades.” Maddie continues, pressing the button. They both watch the blades squeak across the glass as the screen continues to act as a simulator.

“Madeleine, do you know how to take off?” Stiles asks, adding a tone of worry to his voice.

She scoffs. “Put your seatbelt on.”

As she begins to move the plane down the runway in the simulation, the plane begins to shake for affect.

“Hold on!” Maddie yells, and they slowly take off.

“Nice.” Stiles drags, high-fiving her. “Very well executed.”

“Smile for the photo.” Maddie instructs.

She scrunches up her face and pokes her tongue out at the same time that Stiles pushes his nose up with his finger.

The screen flashes and they laugh.

“Mom is going to be over the moon that we got a serious photo.” Maddie giggles as they head to the plane’s exit.

“Don’t say a word until it’s printed.” Stiles whispers.

They step off the plane and Lydia is waiting with two hot drinks and a milkshake for Maddie. “Have fun?”

“Very much. Take off was smooth.” Maddie replied, taking the milkshake. “Thank you, mom.”

“You’re welcome.” Lydia smooths the top of her daughter’s hair down. “Hot chocolate?”

“You saviour. Thank you.” Stiles takes the cup holder and hands Lydia hers.

“We need to go get a photo printed.” Maddie informs her mother before sending Stiles a quick giggle.

“Ah! We do.” Stiles laughs before pulling out his wallet. They head towards the photo booth, locate the correct photo on the screen and Stiles hands the cashier the money while Lydia observes it.

She rolls her eyes. “Great, I now have to incredibly photogenic people in my life. How on earth will I cope.”

Maddie giggles as the lady hands them the prints before they thank her and head to the exit.

“What, you don’t like it?” Stiles sends Lydia a playful smile.

She studies it a few seconds more before laughing. “No, it’s actually very good. Brings out the colour of your eyes.”

 

{}

 

They head back to Lydia’s place and he helps her make dinner. Maddie tells him all about the science project she’s working on while he grills the chicken and Lydia washes up.

Lydia lets Maddie drink Vimto from a wine glass and they sit around chatting whilst eating dinner.

And when Maddie makes a joke and Lydia laughs and asks Stiles if the food is okay, he gets hit with a sense of absolute peace.

This, right here, has made him feel completely whole. As if all he was searching for all his life was this around this table.

For a second it’s like he’s floated from his body and he’s watching the whole thing from the ceiling fan until Lydia places her hand on his and he comes crashing back down.

“It’s delicious. Cheers.” He smiles, lifting Madeleine’s wine glass and taking a gulp.

She squeals, reaching up for the glass before snatching it back and collapsing in a fit of giggles, setting Stiles and Lydia off.

A while later, Maddie fist bumps Stiles good night and Lydia puts her to bed.

When Lydia comes down, she sits beside Stiles on the sofa and clears her throat.

“I have a hospital appointment on the 23rd April.”

She blinks and shifts towards her. She’s ready to talk.

“I need to tell my mom, I’d like her to come. I want her to come.” She continues. “I’m not telling Madeleine. I don’t think I ever want her to know.”

Stiles nods. “I get that.”

Lydia pulls in her lips, stares at the coffee table for a while and pats her thighs but she turns to Stiles and frowns, complete confusion in her eyes. “Stiles, what the hell are you thinking?”

Stiles joins her on the confusion. “What do you mean?”

“What are you _doing_ here? With me?”

He pauses. Studies her whole face. “What do you think I’m doing here? I’m here because of you. Because of Madeleine.”

“ _Why?_ ” She’s wide-eyed, searching his face for any doubts, any regret. “Do you know what you’re getting in to?”

Stiles’ brows move closer together, entwining his fingers with hers. He looks down at their hands. “Lydia, I don’t care. Believe me.”

She shakes her head. “Stiles, I don’t know what it is, or what’s happened, but I want you to stay in my life for good. I really do. I can’t explain what I’m feeling and I can’t explain how fast it’s happening but I honestly want to be with you but I can’t expect you to just dive into this blindly. I have _so_ much baggage. Not only am I ill, but I have a _child_. That’s double trouble.”

She smiles and Stiles chuckles, his heart pounding in his chest because he is _completely_ overwhelmed by this woman and he loves it. Absolutely loves it.

And yes, he’s completely terrified. He’s terrified of losing her, he’s terrified of the future, but at the moment he’s more terrified that she cannot believe that he is dedicated and that he’s not going to walk away. Of _course_ she feels that way. That’s completely fucking normal.

“Lydia, please don’t doubt me.” His voice is shaking and he moves his hand to her cheek. “I know these are just words and I need to prove myself and I’m this man who’s just rudely entered yours and your daughter’s lives but I’m _begging_ you. Don’t doubt me.”

Her breath hits his lips and her eyes are darting to either of his and he can’t take this look of fear on her face so he moves forward and kisses her.

It’s desperation and fear and excitement all wrapped into one kiss. It’s slow and passionate and beautiful and everything that Stiles wants the rest of his life to be.

Lydia slowly pulls away, lips swollen and her eyes are on his. She stands up and takes his hand.

Stiles looks up at her with doe eyes, admiring everything about her in the low light of the room.

“Okay.” She whispers, pulling him to his feet.

Stiles’ head is pumping with blood and nerves and then she leads him from the room and up the stairs and he knows what’s going on and his heart is beating so fast he’s afraid it’s going to explode into a million little pieces.

“Lydia...” He whispers as they move past Madeleine’s room and enter the last one at the end of the hall. She leaves the lights on low, closes and locks the door behind them and turns to Stiles, so tiny in front of him. “Are you sure?”

She pulls in her lips and nods. “I am. Are you?”

He doesn’t even reply. His hands are in her hair before his brain is even aware and her tongue is in his mouth and he could just melt onto the floor. He can’t decide where to keep his hands; they’re stroking her hips then trailing down her back then back in her hair - he just wants to know all of her.

When she backs him into a wall with a thump, he breaks away from her lips and finds her neck. “What about-”

“She won’t hear a thing, she’s a heavy sleeper.”

“That’s good.” Stiles grunts, lifting Lydia up and placing her on the bed.

Her hair falls around her head and the light bounces against it and the way her lashes flutter and her breath hitches when she lands sends him over completely over the top.

Items of clothing gets flung around the room and half the comforter is hanging off of the bed and pillows are scattered and it’s skin on skin and quiet, soft moans and so much passion it leaves Stiles wanting more and more and Lydia wants more and more and it ends with both of them tangled in the thin sheet, lost for words and lost for breath and the birds are singing outside the window.

And then the sun manages to poke through the curtains and lights up half of Lydia’s face as she’s regaining her breath and staring contently at Stiles and he’s thinking of when to tell her he loves her and wondering what ring she’d prefer on her finger and whether they’ll buy a house in the suburbs or if they’ll stay living central.

That’s how they stay for the rest of the morning. Tangled together, quiet conversation, silent laughter and hoping they can stay like this forever.

Stiles really hopes it’s forever.


	4. March II

Stiles is meeting Lydia's mother.

Stiles is meeting Lydia Martin's _mother_.

He's fucking terrified.

Parents hate him. He's awkward, says the wrong thing and usually trips over his own foot or spills food down his shirt and he definitely can't do this.

"I can't do this."

His father sighs. "Yes, you can."

"No, I definitely can't. I'm going to throw up."

Noah folds his arms from behind Stiles and squints at him through the mirror. "Do you want me to call Scott?"

Stiles scoffs. "No. I don't need Scott for every dramatic thing that happens in my life-"

His father has his phone placed on the side on loud-speaker, and after a few rings Scott answers. _"Hey, Noah. What's up?"_

"Hey, Scott. Stiles is about to go meet Lydia's mother for the first time and he's-"

_"Freaking out?"_

"He's freaking out."

"I am not freaking out." Stiles bellows. "I am thinking things through and deciding on the best way to deal with this situation."

_"You've got to stop freaking out."_

"I'm not freaking out." But he is, and he's also panicking because the tie he is wearing doesn't match the shirt and what if that's the first thing Mrs Martin points out? His anxiety will hit the roof and he'll probably say something completely stupid-

_"Remember when I first met Allison's parents?"_

Stiles deadpans. "Ah, yes. Please remind me of how awful it went."

_"It was awful. Argent tried to trap me into drinking alcohol underage, her aunt accused me of stealing from her bag and-"_

"Allison confessed that she stole a condom from her purse in front of her whole entire family. It went swimmingly and this is an amazing pep talk so thank you."

_"You're missing the point. Look at us all now."_

"Scott, Argent barely talks to you without growling."

 _"He laughed at something I said the other day. He_ laughed _."_

Stiles turns to his father. "Hang up."

_"What I'm trying to say is, meeting parents is terrifying and mainly awful. But once it's over and done with, you wonder why you panicked in the first place. Lydia wants you in her life, regardless of what her mother thinks."_

Stiles listens, closes his eyes and puffs out his cheeks. "Alright. Okay. Thanks, Scott."

_"No problem, let me know how it goes. Noah, have you eaten?"_

"I haven't." Noah picks up his phone and heads for Stiles' bedroom door. "Why's that?"

_"Want to come round for dinner? Allison's making chicken pie."_

Scott's and Noah's voices die down in the hallway and Stiles smiles at the strong bond between their families. He decides that he's going to visit Scott and Allison tomorrow and bring her something nice, like a face mask or a bubble bath set to relax her from the growing thing inside of her.

Once he's calm, he shrugs on his jacket, takes one more look in the mirror and heads down the stairs.

He'll be fine.

 

{}

 

He's not fine. At all.

It starts off okay. As okay as it could get.

He picks up Lydia and Madeleine in his jeep (he gets it cleaned prior because man was it a shit tip) and Maddie makes a comment about the massive chunk of the backseat being missing and Lydia starts to ask about its history and when it last had an MOT and he feels extremely attacked.

They arrive at the Martin household in the suburbs (which is a fucking huge mansion with the biggest front lawn he's ever seen) and a maid greets them, takes their coats and Lydia ushers Madeleine into the living room and talks hold of Stiles' hand with a squeeze.

Natalie Martin is a beautiful woman. He can see the resemblance between herself and her daughter immediately; similar hair colour, green eyes, tiny frame and a lovely smile. She's extremely polite, prim and proper and offers him a glass of wine as soon as she sets eyes on him. Stiles' mind wanders back to Scott and the Argent trap when they first met and panics but then remembers that he's twenty-five, legal and that he needs to stop being idiotic. He accepts the wine with a polite smile but Lydia's having none of it. She tells her mother that Stiles is just being polite and that he doesn't like wine and finds a bottle of whisky in a fancy-looking cupboard and pours him a glass.

Natalie invites them to sit on the sofas and informs them that the dinner is being cooked and Stiles wants to yell _"Oh, come on. You have a chef, too?!"_ but he keeps his cool and nods as if it's the most normal thing he's heard.

Telling Mrs Martin that he works for the FBI actually sparks up an interesting conversation. It lasts for a while and she asks lots of varied questions and they bond quite nicely. Maddie tells her about the trip to the museum and insists that Lydia shows her the photo of her and Stiles in the plane.

He learns that she's a brilliant grandmother. Natalie lets Madeleine cuddle up next to her on the sofa and she completely changes her pony-tail hairstyle to a plaited hairstyle, much to Lydia's annoyance. She asks about school, what she's learning, how her project is going. She's very much involved, which is good.

She asks Lydia about her job, beams with pride when Lydia explains her current research and then proceeds to tell her she's gotten too skinny. A love/hate relationship, Stiles can only assume.

Natalie asks how he and Lydia met but then Lydia freezes, and Stiles knows that if they explain they met in the doctor's, her mother would ask why she was at the doctor's so Stiles takes the lead and carries it brilliantly and says they bumped into each other outside.

Dinner is amazing. The chef cooks steak and the maid pours water for them and it's extremely surreal but it's going so much better than Stiles imagined it would.

He does make a stupid awkward joke about table service that Natalie kind of tilts her head at, but it's brushed off quickly and all is well.

Once they finish dinner, Maddie excuses herself to go to the bathroom and the maid gladly takes her. Natalie makes small conversation with Stiles while swishing the wine around in her glass.

It's going okay.

Until Lydia drops the biggest fucking bombshell on the dining room table.

"Mom, I have cancer."

Stiles can't actually find it in him to breathe, at all. He's hearing white noise and staring at the ornament on the table and can actually feel his hands start to sweat.

He doesn't look up. He doesn't snap a quick glance at Natalie's reaction. He doesn't even blink.

"W-I'm sorry, what?"

Natalie's voice is so fucking loud in his ear. He's pretty sure he can hear the clock ticking in the hallway.

"It's stage 2 breast cancer. I have an appointment on the 23rd April and they will be explaining more about procedures and what to move forward with. I'd like you to come." Lydia's voice is so calm. How is she so _calm_?! Is the chef okay? Did he overhear this from the kitchen? Are Stiles' eyelids sweating?

"I-I..."

Stiles looks up. Why does he look up? Why on earth does he look up? He literally glances up as Mrs Martin moves her terrifyingly wide eyes to his and they scream "did you know about this?!".

And then there's total fucking silence. Oh god, they can definitely all hear his heart pumping through his shirt.

He counts a minute. Then two. Then Lydia has the nerve to start tapping her fucking _nails_ on the table.

He is bewildered. He'd much rather be hit by the bus than be in this situation.

Madeleine comes skipping back in and jumps up on her seat, staring at the adults who look like they're having a private mental breakdown. Apart from Lydia, that is.

"All good?" She asks her daughter.

"Yep." Maddie answers, staring at her grandmother, and then to Stiles, then straight back to their grandmother.

And my god, Stiles doesn't know how but she actually manages to top off the evening with one simple sentence.

"Who died?"

 

{}

 

"I can't believe you just done that." Stiles whispers, still completely stunned by the whole experience.

The sound of Maddie's shoes scrunching in the stones as she runs to the car is the only thing to be heard and Stiles can see his own breath in front of him.

Finally, _finally_ , Lydia is sharing the exact same reaction as Stiles. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"I can't feel my balls." Stiles squeaks, still hearing the slam of the front door after Natalie plastered the fakest grin on her face and said goodbye to them.

"I really am sorry. It just felt like the right time." Lydia breathes.

"You sure about that?" Stiles replies.

"No, I'm not so sure anymore. Kind of read that situation wrong."

"I feel like I can hear her every move from here." Stiles shivers, looking over his shoulder. "Does she own a gun?"

Lydia nods quickly. "Yep."

"Get in the car. Get in the goddamn car." He ushers her towards the passenger side and opens the door for her and then he basically sprints to his side and jumps in.

He looks in the rear-view mirror where Maddie's sitting in the backseat, playing with the end of her scarf and then looks at Lydia.

She's staring at him with wide eyes that read "what the fuck did I just do" and then...

She _laughs_.

She bursts out laughing.

Like, she clamps her hand over her mouth where she's laughing so much.

Then Stiles joins in because everything is surreal and insane and Lydia has cancer and she just told her mom then basically ran out of the house and Madeleine is staring at the back of their heads like they've lost their fucking minds.

And it's all really, really _funny_.

"Are you both high?" Madeleine asks from the back.

Stiles and Lydia laugh even more and then Stiles is twisting his head round to stare at the little girl. "How the hell do you know what that means?"

Maddie opens her mouth, but then Stiles holds up a hand and shakes his head. "Do you know what, I don't even want to know."

He's still laughing as he pulls out of the driveway, his Jeep groaning as he puts it into second gear.

And then Lydia's laughing again. "Stiles, this thing sounds like it's about to give up."

"Roscoe is fine. She is reliable and solid."

"You named your car Roscoe?" Maddie asks from the back.

"Yes. It holds character."

"You should change the name to Rosc-old." She bites back and Lydia stifles a giggle.

"Don't diss Roscoe. This car has been with me through everything. You should feel honoured to be sitting in it. I don't let any random person sit in this car."

"But you apparently let any random animal sit in this car." Maddie raises her eyebrows, poking the sponge that is oozing out of the massive hole next to her.

"Hey." Stiles yells. "This car is a saviour. This car is a companion. This car-"

"Has black smoke pouring out of it." Lydia mumbles.

"Exa-wait, what?"

Lydia gestures to the hood.

"Ah, sh-"

Lydia slaps his arm to prevent him from finishing his sentence and he smiles sheepishly.

"He was about to swear." Maddie notes.

"No, I wasn't." Stiles shakes his head, pulling over and sticking his hazard lights on. "I was going to say..."sugar"."

"He is also a bad liar." Maddie grins.

Stiles jumps out of the car and opens the hood, pushing the smoke out the way with his hand. "Lydia, is there any duct tape in the glove compartment?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Duct tape."

She jumps out with the duct tape in hand and a bewildered expression on her face. "You are not going to try to fix this with duct tape."

"That's exactly what I'm going to do."

Then Madeleine is next to him, staring into the hood like she's just seen a UFO. "This is a mess."

Stiles sighs at all of the duct tape covering different tubes and half the engine. "I know."

"Well, the problem is clearly your engine over-heating." Maddie shrugs. Lydia places an arm in front of her so she doesn't go in any further.

"Why would my engine be over-heating?" Stiles frowns.

"When was the last time you topped up the coolant?"

Stiles blinks, pulls in his lips and looks at Lydia. She has an eyebrow raised. "Ugh...2013?"

Lydia rolls her eyes and Maddie sends him a look that says "you're an idiot".

"Yeah, duct tape isn't going to fix this one." Lydia pats him on the back and heads back into the car.

"Great. Just great." Stiles mutters.

"Do you have breakdown cover?" Maddie asks.

"Nope."

"You're not great at adult life, are you." She sighs.

"If you carry on, I'm gonna chuck you in the hood and close the door." Stiles lifts Maddie over his shoulder as she starts to giggle and puts her back in the jeep.

 

{}

 

_"Hello?"_

"Hey, Scott." Stiles sings.

_"Your car broke down again, didn't it."_

"Yep." Stiles pops the 'P'. "Could you pick us up? Dad's at work."

Scott sighs. _"Send me your location."_

"You're my hero, did you know that?"

Scott hangs up.

 

{}

 

Well, Stiles didn't plan to introduce Lydia and Maddie to Scott this early, let alone Allison but it happens very quickly.

Scott picks them up and takes them back to his and Allison's. Stiles calls a breakdown service and leaves the keys in the car because as much as he loves Roscoe, nobody is going to want to steal it. He's made peace with that.

When they arrive, Allison's made them a hot drink and he realizes that she's starting to show. He's over the moon.

He's nervous again, for Lydia. She seems to have gotten a bit quieter since they got here but he knows that out of anyone, Allison can break that shell.

"Is this the Madeleine that I've heard so much about?" Allison beams as Maddie takes a seat on the sofa.

Lydia looks over at Stiles as he holds his phone to his ear and smiles at him.

"Yeah. He's pretty much obsessed. I can understand." Maddie flicks her hair and Lydia sighs at her.

Allison laughs and takes a seat next to her. "I hope my kid is as hilarious as you are."

Lydia smiles across from her. "Are you...?"

"Three months." Allison grins, patting her tiny bump. "I felt it hiccuping earlier. So weird."

"Wait until it starts kicking. I made the stupid mistake of watching Alien a couple of days before."

Stiles hears Allison laugh and he grows much more comfortable as they fall into conversation about pregnancy and the guy speaks on the receiving end of the phone.

Scott looks over at him as Stiles thanks the man and hangs up.

"They're taking it to a garage nearby."

"You know what this means, Stiles." Scott raises his eyebrows.

"I know. They're going to tell me there are a thousand things wrong with it and I'm either going to have to get it all fixed, think about selling it or actively ignore all the warning lights on my dash."

"And what are you going to do?" Lydia smirks knowingly.

"Actively ignore all the warning lights on my dash." Stiles grins back.

"Stiles!" Allison yells with a laugh. "That car is old. Get rid of the thing!"

"Thing? _Thing?!_ That _thing_ drove you to your prom!"

"No, that _thing_ broke down halfway to school and my dad had to pick us up and take us the rest of the way."

"Your dad will never let me forget that." Stiles mutters.

Allison laughs. "Rightfully so! It's a death trap."

"It's not all bad." Scott soothes his friend. "It just needs a service. Maybe a new exhaust. Give or take a replacement heater. And a new engine."

"So basically, it needs to be stripped down and you start all over again." Lydia smirks.

Scott and Allison laugh.

"Stiles, I think what your friends are trying to say is that it wouldn't be a bad thing if you accidentally left the handbrake down and it rolled into a lake." Maddie shrugs. Stiles glares at her.

"I _like_ them. They get it." Allison grins.


	5. April

Lydia invites Stiles and whoever he wishes to bring to her evening presentation at the New York Hall of Science.

It's no big deal. So what, he dates an absolute genius. He's honestly not that fussed.

Except he invites his dad (this would be the perfect time to introduce them to each other), Scott, Allison, Melissa, and he even invites Isaac - he's into these things so it seemed impolite not to. It's Malia and Kira's anniversary so he leaves them be. It's probably best.

He tells his co-workers, his boss, his neighbour, the guy who works in the convenience store around the corner, he even told the man that delivered his smoothie maker.

He buys a smoothie maker because Lydia picks up on his non-existent breakfast routine and insisted that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And now, he's not sure how it works. There are so many _bits_ that go on it so he's just going to wait until Lydia's round next.

So he gets dressed up, heads to his father's, fixes his tie and takes off. They meet Melissa, Scott, Allison and Isaac outside the museum and everyone looks so fancy and proper, it's kind of exciting.

When they walk inside, Lydia's name is listed on the board amongst others and Stiles doesn't fail to point out loudly that she's his girlfriend. Isaac rolls his eyes so many times Stiles begins to regret inviting him.

They enter a large auditorium with a huge screen at the front and speakers either side. There's food, Scott's the first to point out and they received champagne at the door. It's fancy.

"Is this her?" Isaac calls out to Stiles from the far end of the aisle, pointing to a programme. Stiles squints, leaning over his father and friends and is delighted to see Lydia's headshot with a description of her research underneath.

"Yes!" He beams, snatching the programme from Isaac's hand. "And yes, before you say it: I _know_ she's way out of my league."

"I am glad that you're aware." Isaac smirks.

The lights dim as Stiles finishes reading and a gentleman steps on stage to explain the topics of the presentation. When Lydia's name is mentioned, Stiles is prepared to stand up and fist pump but his dad beats him to it and pushes his shoulders back down.

There's a lot of talking, some of which is very confusing and Stiles fails to follow but it is all interesting and none of his guests have fallen asleep yet so that's a plus. He watches Isaac nod with his hand on his chin and his leg crossed over the other like the jumped up ass he is, his dad is raising his eyebrows in certain places as he learns new things and Stiles hears Scott say to Allison "this is what I was trying to explain to you the other night" after one woman makes a reference to bacteria on a household pet. Everyone pretends to be smarter than they actually are, they're all guilty of it. Except for Melissa, she gets most of it. Working in a hospital and all.

And then it's Lydia's turn and Stiles is _so_ excited because he's heard her talk about this but he's eager for everyone else to hear it because it's so interesting and she explains it so well (sometimes Stiles has to ask her to repeat it in English because sometimes she goes off in her own little world and he can't keep up).

With every nod of a head in the crowd as she speaks Stiles beams, and he loves the way her hands move when she talks. And the light above is reflecting in her eyes so when she smiles her eyes sparkle and he's sure everyone has pretty much fallen in love with her by the time it ends.

The applause she gets is so warming and when they stand Noah doesn't stop Stiles from cheering loudly and fist pumping. Stiles doesn't think she heard, but when everyone quietens and sits down and she thanks everyone, she looks up the back in his direction and holds in laughter. He can't stop grinning.

While they wait for Lydia to come out, they grab some food (very fancy food) and go wait in the hall outside with everyone else. Melissa's explaining something Lydia said to Noah and Isaac's wandered ahead to check out an exhibit and Scott and Allison are looking through a book on reproducing and Stiles can hear them "aw"ing when Lydia appears through the crowd with her arms open.

"Lydia, you were amazing." Stiles drags out as he pulls her into his chest. She places a kiss on his lips and smiles into him. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you. Did everyone like it?" She beams.

"They did! Scott and Allison are over there, Isaac's ran off somewhere because he's socially awkward and...dad! Melissa!"

The parents turn to look at Stiles before Melissa taps Noah on the arm as if to say "quickly go and introduce yourself" and they rush over.

"This is my dad, Noah. Dad, Lydia." Stiles steps back as Noah takes her hand and gives her a quick kiss on the cheek. Stiles looks over at Melissa to mentally ask if she thinks it's going well and she winks at him.

"Nice to meet you, Noah."

"Likewise, Lydia. Congratulations on the presentation. I didn't realise my son was dating a genius." Stiles' father smiles.

Lydia blushes and thanks him.

"That was actually sarcasm. He's told me about fifty times that you are the smartest person in the world-"

"Okay, dad. She gets it." Stiles deadpans. "This is Melissa, Scott's mom."

"Hi, Lydia." Melissa hugs her. "I've heard so much about you. That was really impressive tonight."

"Thank you so much." Lydia smiles.

"I actually have a couple of questions..." Melissa trails off.

"Don't hold back!" Lydia beams. "This is my favourite part. Stiles mentioned you're a nurse...?"

With that Melissa and Lydia are walking off, both sets of hands moving about as they go into conversation.

"Well." Stiles nods. "That went exceptionally well."

"Jesus, Stiles. We're not that bad." Noah rolls his eyes and knocks Stiles' arm.

"So, do you like her?" Stiles tilts his head.

"I do, Stiles. She makes you happy and she seems like a wonderful person. That's all that matters to me."

"Good. Great." Stiles bounces on his feet. "Now we need to find Isaac. He's either hitting on some poor girl or he's gotten lost. I really hope it's the latter."

 

{}

 

They end up in a diner down Broadway street after Lydia says what everyone was thinking; the food was way too fancy in the museum. They needed grease.

They grab a table in the corner, order some juicy burgers and talk about their childhoods.

"Oh, yeah. They used to bathe together. Inseparable." Noah nods at Lydia before taking a bite of his burger. "I think I have some photos."

"Come on, Noah. Drag Stiles down, sure. Don't drag me down, too." Scott shook his head.

"Sorry, Scott. The amount of stress you boys gave me over the years, I deserve this."

"Oh, if we're embarrassing them due to the stress they caused then I want in." Melissa sits up. Lydia laughs.

"The stress hasn't stopped, it's ongoing." Allison rolls her eyes then turns to Lydia next to her. "Good luck."

"From the stories, I think I'm going to need it." Lydia smirks.

"We weren't that bad." Stiles argues.

"Weren't that bad? You fell through my roof." Melissa points a finger at him.

"You grounded Scott from seeing me!" Stiles defends himself.

Melissa grabs hold of his cheeks and pushes them together. "Because Scott was getting into so much trouble. Get this, Lydia."

She turns to Lydia who is trying so hard to hide her laugh behind her burger.

"He had a key to my house. I never _gave_ him a key. I have no idea where he _got_ this key."

"I stole Scott's and got one cut." Stiles admits with a mouthful of fries.

Melissa gasps and slaps Stiles on the arm jokingly.

"Hey! Scott tried sneaking out of Allison's window, fell down and Chris nearly run him over with his car!" Stiles lifts his hands.

Melissa turns to Scott with wide eyes. "You did _what_?!"

"Dude!" Scott glares at Stiles, mouth hung open. Allison's wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes as she leans back and laughs.

"No wonder he doesn't like you." Melissa shook her head.

"He likes me." Scott scoffs, pauses then turns to Allison. "He likes me, right?"

She stops laughing and clears her throat. "He doesn't... _hate_ you."

"He prefers me to you." Isaac grins, receiving a couple of fries to the face.

"This is fantastic." Lydia laughs as she wipes the corners of her mouth with a napkin. "It must have been so much fun growing up with them."

Allison smiles. "It was."

"Debatable." Melissa mumbles.

"It could have been better." Isaac shrugs.

"I could argue that statement." Noah scratches the back of his neck.

"Lydia, where did you grow up?" Scott asks.

"Westchester."

Everyone raises their eyebrows and Isaac whistles. Lydia smirks at the response.

"Yep. Mother's in real estate, father's a lawyer." She explains. Stiles' ears perk up; she's never mentioned her father. "Indoor and outdoor pool, hot tub, cinema room, maids, chefs, nannies, arguments, quiet, empty house...Nothing compared to what you guys have. I never had this kind of life."

Stiles softens as Lydia shows her vulnerable side for a couple of seconds. He's sad she didn't get the closeness that Stiles got.

"Well, you do now." Melissa smiles and then leans over the table. "Run while you can."

Lydia leans back and laughs.

 

{}

 

Stiles and Lydia take Noah home, making conversation in the evening chill, talking about their life and where they've been, and when they get back Stiles leaves Lydia downstairs with his father while he goes upstairs and packs the clothes he brought round earlier.

He decides to have a quick shower and change his childhood bed and when he's done, he goes downstairs in the living room to see his father and Lydia sitting on the armchairs reading his mother's old books.

He halts by the doorway, stepping back slightly to watch for a while. They haven't noticed him yet.

"This one is my favourite." Lydia mumbles, leaning over the armrest to show Noah.

He smiles. "That was Claudia's favourite."

Stiles' heart swells.

Lydia looks up. "Really?"

"Yeah." Noah's got his reading glasses on and a cup of tea next to him and he looks so content. Stiles knows Lydia made the tea because his father only makes coffee. "If you go to page 32, she loved the top quote."

Lydia flicks through the hardback and her finger stops on the page. Her eyes flicker over the sentence before she smiles with warmth written over her face. _"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”_

Noah smiles, and Stiles knows he can hear his wife reading it aloud to him. His eyes well up as his father looks over at him.

"Hey, son."

"Hey." Stiles smiles as Lydia turns in her chair to grin at him. As he leans against the frame of the door, he sends her the most loving expression he can muster. 

_Thank you for coming into my life, Lydia Martin._ He wants to scream it to the world.

Lydia eyes up Stiles' duffle bag on his shoulder and gets up. "I'm just going to grab my purse from the kitchen."

She disappears into the next room and Noah lifts himself from the chair and stands in front of Stiles. He places a hand on his shoulder and squeezes. "Son, you've got yourself a keeper. Don't let her go."

Stiles sniffs and places his hand on his father's. "I won't. Never."

Lydia's back, her eyes glistening.

And then dad does exactly what Stiles would do (he must get it from his father), breaks the emotional tension with a ridiculous joke.

"You're welcome around here anytime, Lydia. You make an incredible cup of tea."

{}

 

They're lying in Lydia's bed later that night, Madeleine with her grandmother. She and Lydia haven't spoken properly as of yet (after Lydia dropped the C-bomb on her then left) but she's agreed to go to the appointment with her.

Stiles' thumb is stroking Lydia's shoulder and her fingers are dancing across Stiles' chest when she holds her breath for a second.

"I didn't know your mother passed away." She whispers into the night.

Stiles halts, tilts his head down at her. She's looking up at him with eyes that want to know everything about him and he's glad she feels the same way he does.

"Yeah." He croaks, moving his hand from her shoulder to her hair. "She died from frontotemporal dementia when I was young."

She stays silent.

"It's been me and dad since then." Stiles whispers. "I miss her every day. You would have loved her. She would have absolutely adored you."

Lydia smiles. "Yeah?"

"Oh definitely. The love for books would have been enough. She would have had you up for hours with piles of books ready for you to read."

Lydia's laugh vibrates through Stiles' body. "I wouldn't have minded that at all."

"You'd both be as bad as each other. She would have listened to you for hours about your research, too. I think that's where I get my insomnia from." Stiles chuckles.

"Was she a night owl?"

"Oh, definitely. We'd go for walks at three in the morning, wander around the block. We'd take snacks with us, stop off at the park and look up at the stars."

Lydia pauses for a moment, leans on her elbow to look at Stiles and her hair falls around her face. "I just had an idea."

Stiles frowns. "What?"

"Follow me. I want to show you something." She gets out of bed, wraps her silk rope around her and steps into her slippers. "Put some clothes on and grab the comforter. It's gonna be cold."

Stiles does as she says regardless of how sceptical he is. He watches her approach her bedroom window, open it and climb out onto the fire escape. She pops her head back in to grab the comforter from Stiles.

"Where the hell are we doing?"

"Just follow me." She whispers, climbing up the ladder and dragging her comforter along with her. When she steps onto the roof and disappears, Stiles mutters to himself and follows her.

"Are we reenacting the Spider-Man kiss scene?" He asks into the night. He hears her laugh.

When he steps onto the roof, he nearly gasps.

Plants, fairy lights, melted candles and a couple of chairs covers the small roof. Lydia bends over to switch the lights on and it's absolutely beautiful.

"Did you do this?" Stiles asks.

"When we first moved in I was intrigued about what was up here so I climbed up. Discovered the whole thing was empty. Gave the previous owner a call and asked who owned it. Turns out it's mine." She grins. "So it's my getaway place. If work is stressing me out, or I've had a bad day, or Madeleine's being a bit too...Madeleine, I come up here. Solve some math puzzles, have a glass of wine, I even fed wires up so that I can plug in my laptop and do some research and watch documentaries."

Stiles laughs, stepping further onto the roof. "This is insane."

"It's also a perfect spot for stargazing." Lydia's voice softens.

Stiles' stomach twists and he smiles at her. God, she is everything he needs. She is incredible.

They both lie together and wrap the comforter around them, watching stars and Lydia whispers facts about the constellations.

He listens. She listens. They both remember.


	6. April II

It's not until now that it dawns on Stiles that Lydia is very sick.

As he looks down at his hands gripping the arms of the chair he's sitting in, he tries to fathom how a day so normal ends up with him on the brink of a panic attack.

It started off fine.

It was his first morning spent with Lydia and Madeleine and it was hectic. It turns out that trying to get Maddie dressed and fed and out the door was a huge task at hand.

"I'm not wearing that." Maddie states, staring at the top that Stiles is holding up.

His shoulders sag. "Why not? This is your top."

"It's dated." Maddie sighs. "I'd rather wear a paper bag."

Stiles' eyes bulge; a vessel pops somewhere, he's sure of it. "Maddie. Your mother has kindly asked me to get you ready for school. And I'm trying my best to kindly do it. I hope you've noticed the enthesis on 'kindly', but if you haven't, I'll say it one last time. _Kindly_."

She stands in front of him - a mere 2ft something - with her arms folded and an unbothered look on her face. "You're not persuasive. And I'd appreciate it if you didn't use that tone with me."

"Oh my god-" Stiles drops the top on to Maddie's bed and pushes his fingers to his eyes. "Lydia?"

Not even two seconds later, she walks in - toothbrush in mouth - and silently walks to Maddie's closet, picks out another top and chucks it on Maddie's head.

"Put that on or no Animal Planet tonight." Lydia's voice is muffled but even Stiles can hear the 'I'm not taking any shit from you today' tone in her voice. He turns to look down at Maddie.

Her mouth hangs open, she scowls at Stiles and pulls the top from her head. "The adults have made their point. Would you exit my room, please?"

Stiles shakes his head and as he leaves, he pushes her globe that's sitting on her dresser slightly to the right. As he closes the door, he nearly misses her hiss 'Satan'. He smiles smugly.

When he's showered and dressed, Stiles meets Lydia in the kitchen and helps pack Maddie's lunch and make breakfast. And when Lydia makes him a smoothy, he complies and drinks it. Not as bad of a taste as he assumed.

"Are you sure you don't mind dropping her off?" Lydia asks him as she leans against the counter, sipping on her morning coffee.

"Of course not. I wanna see what her school is like; see if I can pinpoint who "Ridiculous Randle" is that she keeps moaning about."

Lydia smiles. "Once I've caught up at work, I'll meet you at the hospital. Don't forget, the appointment is at quarter past ten."

Stiles blinks, rewinds and listens to what Lydia said and confusion fills his brain. "Wait...I'm coming?"

Lydia's expression matches him. "Don't you want to?"

"Of course! O-of course I do. I didn't realize I was invited."

Lydia's mouth makes an 'o' shape. "Did I not ask you to come?"

Stiles shakes his head, hiding a grin at how her eyebrows have raised so much.

"Stiles, I'm so sorry. I assumed I asked you. How rude of me."

He laughs and stands in front of her. "It's fine. Of course, I'll be there."

As he places a kiss on her forehead, Maddie clears her throat from the doorway.

"People, it's eight o'clock in the morning." She sighs.

Stiles puts her breakfast on top of the fridge. It's fun to see her try and reach it.

He takes her to school; she sings along to his David Bowie playlist and he's so goddamn happy that Lydia raised her with good music.

"Are you going on any cool missions today?" She asks him.

"Oh, no." Stiles shakes his head, turning onto the street where the school is located. "None of them for a while."

"Why not?"

"I'm...catching up on paperwork." Stiles tilts his head as he wonders if he definitely packed her lunch and her pencil case.

"Sounds boring, much like my day will be. At least we're in this together." Maddie rolls her eyes.

"I know school can be a drag, but don't you like to learn?" Stiles asks her.

"Of course. It's my favourite thing to do." Maddie folds her arms. "The teachers teach it at a much slower pace that I'm used to."

"That must be frustrating." Stiles sighs, pulling up outside the busy school.

"It is! Sometimes they have to go _back_ to teach the same thing because idiotic kids would rather spend their History lesson making paper planes than actually _learning_. It's exhausting." She puts her hand to her forehead and Stiles laughs.

"Look, I get it. You're surrounded by idiots-"

"Literally."

"- _but_ it's also nice to be nice, and just because you're insanely, amazingly and outstandingly smart, you can't expect the other kids to keep up. Lucky enough, you have an extremely intelligent mother and the brain space to learn more in your spare time. Imagine how much knowledge you'll have up there by the time you graduate!"

Maddie giggles.

"Be nice to the kids. The ones making paper planes was most probably me at that age."

Maddie laughs. "That explains so much!"

Stiles slaps his hands to his thighs. "Maddie, you haven't even got out of the car and you're already failed!"

She throws her head back and laughs. "Sorry, I'm sorry. You set that one up, in my defence."

Stiles pulls the corners of his mouth down. "There's a truth of element there. Do you have your lunch?"

She picks up her rucksack from the footwell and hugs it to her chest. "Yes."

"Pencil case?"

"Uh-huh."

"A new profound way of looking at things after Stiles gave the greatest pep-talk known to mankind?"

Maddie frowns, unzips her bag. "Hm...I don't see it in here. Maybe I dropped it?"

Stiles mouth slams shut. "Get out of the car and learn. And zip your bag up before you put in on your back!"

Maddie opens the door and rolls her eyes at Stiles before zipping it back up.

"You sure you have everything?" Stiles leans over to the passenger side, his seatbelt restricting him.

"I'm sure you're a pain in the ass!" Maddie begins to walk and turns around with a grin.

Stiles' jaw drops before he looks to see if anyone heard her. "Madeleine! We do _not_ -" He looks at a mom walking past. "She does _not_ do that at home-watch your mouth young lady!"

Maddie laughs so loud before waving to him.

As she runs towards the school entrance and is greeted by a teacher, he leans forward more. "Have a good day!"

She turns around one last time. "You, too!"

The rest of the morning goes okay (apart from nearly having an argument with a mom in an SUV after she almost takes his wing mirror off) and he waits patiently in the hospital parking lot for Lydia to arrive.

Her mother arrives first.

She pulls up in the parking space _right_ next to Stiles, while he's eating a breakfast sub from Subway and he's sure he's got sauce on his chin.

She does a double take, composes herself and brings the window down. "Good morning, Stiles."

Stiles swallows his mouthful and it lodges in his throat, it hurts and his voice is strained as he tries to act casual. "Morning, Mrs Martin."

Stiles is hoping for her next sentence to be "you can call me Natalie" finished with a loving smile and all is forgiven but she says absolutely nothing. She just grabs her purse and gets out of her car.

Stiles fights with himself whether to get out of his jeep and follow her or wait for Lydia. Which option is the most polite? Would Natalie judge him if he went inside with her and didn't wait for Lydia? Would she find it rude if he just stayed in the car? What the hell does he do in this situation-

Then he sees Lydia's car pull in and he's washed with relief.

"Oh, Lydia's here!" He yells with way too much excitement for the mood of today and Natalie turns to stare at him through his windscreen. Lydia pulls up next to him with her window down and her eyebrow raised.

"You okay?"

"Perfect." Stiles nods a little too quickly. "I'm going to get out of the car now."

Lydia nods with him. "Okay. Did you get Maddie to school okay?"

Stiles gets out and slams his door shut. "I did-"

Natalie squints at them. "You let him take my granddaughter to school in... _that?_ "

Lydia sighs as she steps out of her car. "You're more than welcome to get back in your car and go home, mother."

That shuts her up. She begins to walk towards the hospital entrance.

"Please ignore her. She's been like this with me, too. I think it's her strange way of coping." Lydia mumbles.

"It's fine. Adults usually dislike me."

"I'm an adult and I like you." Lydia smiles, linking arms with him as they walk.

He laughs. "Thank god."

Everything's normal (apart from the cold shoulder from Lydia's mother) but everything is fine and dandy and he and Lydia are linking arms and joking and it's not until they get to the reception and Lydia gives her name and the receptionist sends them in the direction of the cancer ward.

The mood changes from relaxed to...cold.

The closer they get to the ward, the darker it gets in the hospital. The sunlight shining through the windows doesn't seem as bright as before, everyone seems more tired and down and Stiles gets a flashback of being seven-years-old, his father carrying a bouquet of flowers and the other hand holding Stiles'.

They meet with a doctor in an office, with pamphlets and posters about the stages of cancer, what comes next and how to deal with it. Lydia's mother picks one up and begins to read it.

"Good morning, everyone." The doctor begins, tucking himself in on his chair before smiling at them. "Before we begin, I'd like to introduce myself."

Stiles looks down at Lydia's hands. She's picking her nail polish off.

"I'm doctor Rab Driscoll, I am a medical oncologist and we will most probably be seeing a lot of each other." He begins. "As you know, Miss Martin, I have been in this field for twenty-six years...and by the look on your face you've most certainly already done all your research on me."

Lydia nods with a smile. "You guessed correctly."

"Fantastic news." Dr Driscoll smiles. "So, were there any questions on your behalf?"

Lydia shakes her head. "No, but I _am_ interested in the convention you attended last year. I was also meant to be there but I couldn't make it-"

"Lydia." Natalie sighs. "Now is really not the time."

Rab laughs. "You work in research, is that correct?"

"Correct." Lydia smiles. She's stopped picking her nails.

"Well, I look forward to our conversations in the future." He smiles before turning to Natalie. "You are Mrs Martin?"

"I am."

"It's lovely to meet you." He turns to Stiles with a grin. "Just in case I'm wrong, I won't try and assume who you are, sir."

Stiles smiles. He likes this guy. "I'm Stiles, Lydia's boyfriend."

God, that sounds weird and amazing to say out loud.

"It's lovely to meet all three of you." Rab smiles before looking down at his paperwork. "So, I have all of the results from your previous consultations. You had your mammogram and ultrasound scan with your clinic two months back."

Lydia nods for confirmation. She's picking her nails again.

"What you already know is that it is Stage 2 breast cancer." Dr Driscoll brings his hands together. "After the previous scans, I can confirm that it is Stage 2B, which means that the has cancer has spread to the lymph nodes near the breastbone. The tumour has been measured at 4cm."

Lydia nods again. Silence.

"The next step is to obviously move forward with treatment. There are a few options at this stage of cancer but where the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes I would prefer to go down the mastectomy route."

Lydia blinks. Stiles forgets what mastectomy means until Lydia clears her throat.

"You want to remove my breast?"

That's the one.

"I believe this will be the most efficient procedure, given where the cancer has gone to. We could try a lumpectomy but I feel that will not remove everything and you'll most probably end up having to have the mastectomy regardless."

Lydia stares out the window behind her doctor, nodding her head.

"Here is a leaflet of all the other procedures available. Please read through them as this is your decision, but also keep in mind my opinion on this."

He slides the leaflet across the table and Lydia takes it. She looks at the cover for a couple of seconds. Stiles' mouth is dry.

"And what would happen after the procedure?" She asks.

"You will potentially have to have a batch of radiotherapy to remove the last of the cancerous cells if not all are removed. The treatment is usually over the course of 3 to 5 weeks."

"And what are the side effects?"

"Tiredness and weakness, darkening of your skin, swelling of the breasts, loss of hair in the armpit and problems moving your upper joints. These aren't all guaranteed, but the tiredness and weakness is the most common side effect."

Radiotherapy. _Radiotherapy_.

Lydia blows out a gust of air and laughs. "So, no breast and unable to stay awake through a normal working day. Perfect."

Stiles feels his throat tighten.

"W-Lydia..." Mrs Martin begins, her voice a little softer. "What did you expect?"

Lydia shrugs, placing her hands under her thighs. "I don't know, mom. I wasn't really thinking about it."

"Well...it's time to start thinking about it. You need to make a decision on what you want to do." Natalie pushes, placing an arm on her daughter's shoulder.

"You don't have to decide now, Lydia." Rab assures her.

Lydia shakes her head. "I may as well decide now. The most obvious option is to chop my boob off so I guess that's that."

The room falls silent. "Are you sure that's what you want?"

"No, Dr Driscoll, removing one of my breasts isn't necessarily what I want but I can't be very picky right now, can I." Lydia snaps.

Stiles flinches. She's getting wound up.

Rab holds his hands up. "I apologise. That was a poor choice of words."

Lydia sighs bringing a hand to her forehead. "No, I understand what you mean. And I'm also taking into consideration your opinion - which I know is a very good opinion - so let's do it. Book me in."

Stiles quickly looks down at her, only realising now how much he's gripping onto the arms of the chair. _Radiotherapy_.

"Alright." Rab nods and brings out his diary.

Stiles's eyes move from the diary to the cancer posters to the leaflets to a pale-looking Natalie to Lydia Martin sitting next to him.

She's sick.

 _She's sick_.

And he's about to have a panic attack. Good lord.

He's seeing two Dr Driscoll's and everyone's voices are sounding further and further away and his chest feels as if it's squeezing his ribcage to the point of breaking-

And then Lydia puts her hand in his.

It's as simple as that. Stars aren't dancing in his vision anymore. He can breathe.

It's okay. She's right next to him.

"The eleventh will be perfect." Lydia nods at her doctor.

"And you're happy with your mother and boyfriend attending?" Rab looks from Natalie to Stiles and then to Lydia.

"Definitely." Lydia replies.

It's okay. She's right next to him.

Then the meeting's over and they're in the hallway walking towards the stairs and Natalie's in front of Lydia and Stiles is trailing behind because he's still a little overwhelmed.

"The eleventh of May is very soon, Lydia." Natalie begins, phone in hand. "We need to start planning. Are you sure this doctor is the best you could find?"

Lydia nods. "Yes."

"Alright. I trust your opinion. We're going to have to figure out all this around Madeleine and school and your job-"

"I know."

"And maybe I should take time off to look after you during radiotherapy-well, that's if you _need_ radiotherapy..."

Stiles watches Lydia's tiny frame follow her mother, not listening to a word she's saying. And he gets a glimpse of what her childhood and growing up was like.

He catches up with her and grabs her hand a little too desperately that she stops in her tracks.

Stiles places his hands on her shoulders so she's looking right at him and he's looking right at her.

"You're going to be okay."

Her breathing is hitched and her eyes well up ever so slightly and she nods. He knows it's what she needs to hear. They follow Natalie outside.

 

{}

 

They all go to Lydia's apartment and Stiles makes three cups of coffee. He's been getting better at it with the help of Lydia.

Natalie takes a seat at the dining table and brings out her diary and her laptop. "We have two weeks and four days."

Lydia's sits in front of her and nods.

Natalie looks up, guilt on her face. "We didn't discuss breast reconstruction. Did you have that in mind?"

Lydia shrugs as Stiles places a cup in front of her. She looks up at him and smiles. He returns the gesture before leaning against the countertop.

"Stiles, how flexible is your job?" Natalie looks up at him.

Jesus Christ, she's including him in her _plans_. "Uh, they're pretty good."

"Brilliant." She looks back down at her diary and then to her laptop. "It says here you'll be in recovery after the operation for around three days and a few weeks of home recovery after. Which will also overlap with the potential radiotherapy."

Stiles stares in disbelief as the woman multitasks and writes things down.

"We must not forget you'll need someone to be cooking, bathing you and changing your dressing when needed. And looking after Madeleine. And to make sure you'll be taking your medication. That's where we come in, Stiles."

He blinks, takes a sip of coffee and waits for her to continue.

"If you can have a word with your boss, we can alternate days or if you're needed at work in the mornings or afternoons we can do this in shifts."

"Mother, I'm a grown woman." Lydia deadpans.

"I know." Natalie throws back. "A grown woman with a child. You'll need help."

"I'm aware that I'll need help but this is way too much." Lydia shakes her head, staring at her mother's diary.

"This isn't too much. You won't be able to carry out your everyday routine, Lydia...you won't be able to take Madeliene to school or pick her up, no cooking, _showering_ on your own is a no. Food shopping, walking, it's all going to be difficult. And of course, you won't be able to work. So you should really tell them about your situation now-"

"I know, mom! I get it!" Lydia snaps.

The kitchen goes silent.

"Lydia, I'm just trying to help." Natalie's voice softens.

Lydia sighs, her shoulders sagging. "I know. Thank you. I really do appreciate it and I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner. But can we just forget about all this, just for now and order take-out for lunch? Please?"

"Take out for _lunch_?" Natalie responds in bewindlerment. 

Lydia looks at her, _really_ looks at her with an expression that reads " _please_ , mom". 

Natalie plays with her pen in her hand for a while, before looking from Lydia to Stiles. She sighs. "Fine. Okay."

Lydia smiles and gets up, turning to Stiles. She runs her fingers through her hair and raises his eyebrows at him. He holds in a laugh.

"Stiles?" Natalie looks at him as she packs her stuff away.

He wets his throat and swallows. "Yes?"

"Do you like chinese?"

 

{}

They eat Chinese food with Lydia's mother and Stiles tells her about Lydia's presentation. Natalie wants to hear all about it.

When they finish up and Natalie heads out, her and Lydia have a moment in the hall and they tell one another that they love each other and the door closes and Lydia walks back in a little teary.

Stiles rubs her shoulders and hugs her for too long but it's nice and it makes him want to wrap around her on the sofa and stay there for the rest of the day. But it's nearing three o'clock.

They pick up Maddie together (they tell her they saved her some takeaway and she's over the moon) and the three of them sing along to David Bowie.

When they get in, Lydia has a shower and Stiles plates up the takeaway for Maddie and they watch Animal Planet on the sofa. Lydia joins them after half hour with wet hair and smelling of cocoa butter.

There's chocolate cake in the fridge and Stiles knows that Lydia usually wouldn't allow Madeleine to eat this amount of crap in one night but he can see she's thinking "fuck it", it's been a crazy day and they all deserve to eat cake.

So they do, and they stay on the sofa for the rest of the night until Maddie falls asleep with her head on Lydia's lap and Stiles carries her to bed.

And when they're in bed after Stiles has showered, Lydia turns to him.

"How am I going to tell my work?"

He pulls in his lips and shuffles closer to her. "Give them the facts and go with it. There's not much they can do and do _not_ feel bad about it, not for one second."

"I know." She rests her head on his chest. "What am I going to do all day? Stay in bed? The thought gives me goosebumps."

Stiles laughs. "I guess I'm going to have to supply you with books and documentaries throughout the duration."

Lydia laughs with him before she goes silent.

"Shit."

She sits up, her face visibly alarmed.

"What?" Stiles sits up with her.

"Stiles, they're removing my boob. I'm not going to have a boob."

Stiles gawks at her. What the hell does he say to make this better?

"It's just sunk in. One of my breasts, gone." She stares into space.

"Hey, hey, hey." Stiles places his hands on either side of her face and gets her to stare at him. "It's a boob. It's just a boob."

"I know it's just a boob, but it's _my_ boob."

"It is, you're right, and it's not fair it's being removed but it's also saving your life. This breast will save your life."

She sniffs. "Stiles, I'm going to have one breast. Will you...?"

"Don't even finish that sentence, I don't wanna hear it." Stiles shakes his head. "You shouldn't even be thinking about what I want or how this affects me. I have nothing to do with what happens to your body. It's not my body, it's _yours_."

She nods as his hands settle in hers.

"I don't want you to be worrying about what you'll look like, Lydia, because with or without boobs you are the most beautiful person I will ever know. You are so much more than a boob, alright?"

She laughs silently. "Alright."

"And - hey - if you feel strongly about this, you can get a new boob!" Stiles smiles.

She laughs a little harder.

"But, whatever you decide...please don't define yourself to a breast." Stiles whispers, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Lydia, it's just a boob."

"It's a really nice boob." Lydia raises an eyebrow with a grin.

"Oh, it's a fantastic boob. A masterpiece of a breast. But you can't forget about the other one. Just a nice. It's time we give that boob more attention. It's what it deserves."

Lydia's head flies back as she laughs, hitting him in the chest just as he laughs with her.

"Hey, is it me or is the word 'boob' starting to sound really weird?"

 

{}

 

Stiles is a nightmare for remembering events.

He thanks the lord he doesn't believe in that he actually remembered to put a reminder on his phone for Scott and Allison' party, otherwise he would have most definitely missed it and been a grade A asshole.

So when he sees the reminder pop up to let him know the party is this Saturday, he gets an idea.

"Hey, Lydia." Stiles calls out to her whilst he brushes his teeth.

"Yeah." She responds from behind her shower curtain.

"Do you like parties?"

Her heads pop out. "I'm no stranger to them. Why's that?"

"Scott and Allison are moving house and they're having a leaving party tomorrow night. My friends and family and alcohol will be there, what do you think?"

"I was sold at alcohol." She smirks before vanishing once more.

"Fantastic!" Stiles grins before he realises he's an idiot. "Shit, can you drink this soon to the procedure or am I overthinking this big time?"

"You're overthinking this big time. I've done my research."

"I don't know why I doubted you. I'll let Scott and Allison know."

He's excited because Lydia gets to relax and have fun with his family and everyone loves her and his friends know how to throw a party and yeah, his dad _does_ drink a bit too much of the punch but that makes him talk about the antics of his childhood and Stiles loves having stories to hold against him so. Bring. It. On.

Lydia comes round his to get ready Saturday afternoon and orders him to wear the dress shirt she picked out for him a week back and she styles his (very long, when did this happen?) hair much nicer than he does it and he doesn't like to blow his own trumpet but...he looks _good_. She's a mastermind.

As he puts his shoes on and finds his keys, out Lydia comes and he has to kind of spin on his heel and do a double take because he's never seen her wear green and my _god_. He's going to explode.

Her hair is all gathered in an updo with curls falling around her face and the dress is velvet and hugging her in all the right places and goodness is he _dribbling?_

"How do I look?" She says. She knows what she's doing, Stiles can see it in her eyes.

"You..." He nods, pulls in his lips.

"What? Is there something on my dress?" She asks dumbfounded, turning around so he can see where the dress ends halfway down her back. She's going to kill him.

He squints his eyes and thinks _how very dare you Lydia Martin_ before stepping forward.

"No, it wasn't on your dress...I think I saw it..."

She turns back around with a smirk before Stiles rubs his thumb across her lower lip.

"There." Stiles smirks. "I'll get it."

Lydia laughs as Stiles places his lips on hers and grabs her waist in his hands.

She smiles into the kiss before tiptoe-ing a little more (she's already in heels and Stiles thinks that's the cutest and hottest thing ever) and deepens the kiss. Oh, she knew what she was doing as soon as she put the dress on.

Stiles pushes her against the wall in his hallway, her leg hitching up. "Stiles..."

He bites her lip just as he responds with a grunt.

"We'll be late."

He lets go of her lip and sees how swollen they are and he shakes his head. "I don't know about you but...I can live with being late."

Lydia laughs, placing a hand under his shirt and shrugs. "They're your friends."

"And if we're late they'll still love me regardless." Stiles grins, joining their lips again and lifting her up so her legs are wrapped around his waist. 

"You make a good point." Her fingers unzip his jeans and her hand disappears into his boxers.

Stiles sighs and places his palm against the wall. "My god..."

And then she's kissing underneath his earlobe and her fingers are running through the bottom of his hair and she's so _good_ to him. He runs his hands up her thighs and when he gets to her butt, he freezes.

Looks straight at her.

"Are you not wearing any underwear?"

And she has the audacity to bite her painted lip and grin while shaking her head.

Stiles looks her dead in the eye and feels his stomach summersault just like it did the last time he saw her and he slides into her.

She gasps into his shoulder and bites through the material lightly, her hands moving down to his forearms to hold onto them.

He picks up the pace slowly as Lydia whispers and breathes into the hallway and he wraps an arm around her while his other arm stays against the wall.

He can see he's hitting the right spot so he brings his hand down to her centre and moves slowly, watching her chest move up and down.

She's gripping his hair and breathing in his ear and leaving little kisses on his neck and everything's so perfect in this moment that he just wants to say it.

If he doesn't, he's going to explode.

He's so close to the edge and things are getting faster and sloppier and he looks at her.

"Is this a bad time to tell you that I love you?"

And with that, she's crying out and her back is arched and she's making this noise that just sends him tumbling after her.

They're both left panting, Stiles' head on her shoulder and her head against the wall.

Lydia tilts his chin up and kisses him passionately. Everything she does is perfect.

"I love you, too."

They sit in the back of the uber with shit-eating grins on their faces and Lydia's fingers resting on Stiles'.

{}

"You're late." Allison opens the door before grinning at Lydia. "Hey, Lydia."

"Hi. Sorry we're late, _someone_ left their wallet at home." Lydia rolls her eyes before stepping forward.

Stiles stares at her in disbelief. But she loves him, so he doesn't care that much.

Allison smirks at him as he steps forward and places a kiss on her cheek.

"How's the fetus?"

"Growing. Wriggly. Loves to sit on my bladder." Allison sighs as she closes the door after him. "How was the sex?"

Stiles spins round, his cheeks a very bright shade of red.

Allison laughs and pats him on the shoulder. "I'm not an idiot, Stiles. The alcohol is in the corner."

He mutters to himself before spotting his father talking to Melissa and Argent and he goes over and gives him a hug, kisses Mrs McCall on the cheek and shakes Argent's hand.

"Nice to see you, Chris."

"And you, Stiles. I hear you've landed yourself in a serious relationship with a very amazing woman." Argent raises his eyebrows.

"I hear the shock in your voice and I totally agree with you. How I did it I'll never know." Stiles peeks round Chris and sees Lydia talk to Scott and relaxes.

"Well, after my daughter confessed her love for Scott McCall, nothing really surprises me anymore-I'm kidding! Melissa, it was a joke. I'm sorry." Melissa knocks him on the arm and Argent grins, which is more than Stiles has ever seen from him and he has the assumption that everyone starting drinking a while back.

"Don't take it, Melissa. Scott's a goddamn angel." Stiles winks, kisses her cheek and moves through the crowd.

"A loving son? Maybe. An angel? I beg to differ." Melissa calls out after him and he laughs to himself as he approaches Scott and Lydia.

"Hey, buddy." Stiles claps his best friend on the back.

"Hey, man! You're late." Scott yells.

"And you're drunk." Stiles grins. "I love drunk Scott. Lydia, let's catch up."

"Already began." Lydia lifts her plastic cup and passes Stiles another.

"You sweet woman, thank you." Stiles smiles and takes a mouthful. "Jesus _christ_ , Lydia. This is really strong!"

Scott rolls his eyes. "I told you he'll say that."

Lydia shrugs. "You wanted to catch up. There's only one way to do that."

"I know...it just tastes so _gross_."

"Hey, Isaac's starting a game of beer pong." Scott lightens up, grabbing the two to follow him.

As they approach the table and Isaac is placing the cups out, someone screams his name.

He turns around and sees Kira and Malia grinning from across the table. "When did you get here?!"

"About five minutes ago. Get over here!" Stiles grins, hugging them both and kissing them on the cheek. "Lydia, this is Malia and Kira. Girls, this is Lydia."

"Holy shit, you're _hot_." Malia gawks.

" _Malia_." Stiles and Kira hiss. Lydia stares with a grin of disbelief.

"I am _so_ sorry. I kind of forgot myself for a second." Malia shook her head, holding out her hand.

"I'm not complaining. You're 'holy shit' hot, too." Lydia grins, shaking Malia's hand.

Stiles stares at Lydia and then to Kira, sending each other a "can you believe this?" face.

Kira shakes Lydia's hand. "How'd you both meet?"

"The doctor's." Lydia tilts her head with a smile.

"Oh god, what a rom-com way to meet." Malia laughs.

"I know, who would have thought." Lydia laughs along with her.

"Ex _cuse_ me. It was actually extremely romantic and Lydia was swept off of her feet." Stiles deadpans.

The three girls raised their eyebrows. "No, it was more like my child not leaving you alone and you awkwardly asking for my number."

Stiles lets his mouth hang open as Lydia grins and wraps her fingers around his arm.

"I tried, okay? It was the best I could do." He sighs.

"Well, it worked!" Lydia brightens. "Look where it got you."

Stiles squints at her as Isaac starts arranging the teams. He places a quick kiss on her lips when everyone quietens down.

"Alright, people. Two teams of six, who's in?" Isaac yells.

"Allison! Come and play, baby." Scott beckons her over.

Allison stares at Stiles. "Did he just call me _baby?_ "

Stiles nods and makes a drinking gesture with his hand.

"Alright, I'll play but I'm doing shots of water."

"Stay hydrated!" Isaac yells. Everyone cheers with him.

"Girls against boys!" Malia yells.

"Fine. Malia, Kira, Allison, Lydia, Melissa...Braeden!"

"Braeden?" Braeden raises an eyebrow.

"Yes, that is your name." Isaac winks.

"Do you _want_ me to show you up?"

"I'd absolutely love for you to show me up." Isaac grins before Derek appears and clumps him around the head.

"Watch your tone."

"Okay, Derek was two years above us at school and ended up working with Argent and Braeden is his girlfriend. Super mysterious couple. It's weird." Stiles mumbles to Lydia. She laughs.

"Okay, gentlemen. Myself, Scott, Biles-"

"Hey Isaac, take your scarf off and we'll fight like real men outside." Stiles yells. Everyone cheers.

"-Derek?"

"No."

"Argent, Noah...hey, Deaton!"

"I'd rather observe, thank you." Deaton smiles.

"That's Scott's boss." Stiles whispers.

"You're all close." Lydia replies in shock. She can't even remember her last boss' name.

"Alright, Liam?"

"Sure."

"Liam was on the lacrosse team with us in school." Stiles leans towards Lydia.

"It's like a whole town under one roof." Lydia raises her eyebrows.

"I know. But unfortunately, I couldn't shake off Isaac and Liam. I tried, believe me."

"I can see a love/hate relationship between you and Isaac. Perhaps there's a spark there." Lydia smirks.

"Lydia Martin, if I were to be with a man, Isaac Lahey would be the _last_ person I would think of. How very dare you."

She leaves him to join the girls on the other side of the table and Isaac pours Jack Daniels into each cup and leaves a few shots of water on the side for Allison.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen. Let the games begin!" Isaac yells.

"Jesus, does he have to do that every time?" Stiles groans to Scott.

"Shut up, it's my turn." Scott hisses, trying his best to aim his focus but embarrassingly misses.

"Scott, you suck." Argent snaps.

"He's trying his very best, alright?" Stiles yells.

"Come on, Allison. Take down these penises." Malia hisses.

"Malia, filter!" Scott yells.

"Sorry."

Allison aims and succeeds. The girls and the crowd cheer.

"Who's drinking that?" Stiles points at the cup.

"I'd rather not." Noah scrunches up his nose.

"Isaac, drink." Allison calls out.

"Woman, ever since Scott put a baby in you, you've become Satan." Isaac coughs once he downs the drink.

"Dude, filter!" Scott exhales.

"Sorry."

"Kira, take them down." Allison smirks.

"You've got this, baby, look how puny they are." Malia yells as she squeezes Kira's shoulders.

"One's wearing a scarf, for christ sake. End them." Braeden pipes up. Lydia's laughing so hard and Stiles is loving every moment.

Kira's ball plops into one of the cups and It's Liam's turn to drink.

"I hate this game." He wheezes.

Stiles' dad saves the day and gets a bullsey. Stiles has never been so proud. Malia drinks.

Then it's Lydia's turn and she's giving Stiles a look that says "you're dead". And that he'll probably have a hangover in the morning.

"Make us proud, Lydia." Melissa grins.

She doesn't even try. She just looks at the table, at the cups and then throws. It goes straight in and she wipes her hands together.

The girls cheer.

" _How-_ " Stiles begins.

"Your turn to drink." Lydia smirks.

After a few more rounds, everyone's pretty drunk and cheering "H2O!" whenever Allison takes a shot of water and the music gets a little louder.

A bunch of people are surrounding Stiles' father as he talks about his crazy childhood antics and Scott is trying to slow dance with Allison who is finding it charming nether-the-less and Isaac is between Malia and Kira while Lydia takes a photo of them.

"Oh, Stiles! You and Lydia." Malia ushers him over and holds her phone up.

He doesn't usually jump at the chance of a photo but here he is, drunk, happy and he loves Lydia and she loves him and she's sitting on his lap with an arm around his shoulders and a cup in her hand and she's donking Stiles on the nose and he's holding her waist and they're grinning at each other and the flash goes off.

In this moment, it's an amazing photo. So candid, they're so in love but Stiles knows that they'll wake up tomorrow and notice the drunk eyes and the red cheeks and the beer stain down Stiles' shirt but they don't care.

He loves her and she loves him.

After hundreds of photos and Scott hugging everyone and Stiles grabbing every opportunity to peck Lydia on the lips and emotional talks between him, Melissa and his father, everyone's in the garden, the music's low and pizza is served.

Lydia sits between Allison and Malia, Kira lays with her head on her girlfriend's lap and Stiles cannot believe he's seeing this. Everything he's ever dreamed off or imagine in front of him.

Allison's laughing at something Lydia said and they've linked arms to try and bite a slice of each other's pizza and Stiles wants to cry with happiness. She's having such a good time. She's made friends. With _his_ friends.

"This is nice to see." Scott's grinning with a slice of pizza in his hand and a beer in the other. Stiles pats him on the chest.

"You're right, it is."

"Hey, Stiles." Isaac slurs from next to Scott. "I know I joke - and sometimes I'm not joking but that's a whole other thing - but you really have done good there. She's slotted in just fine."

Stiles smiles. "Thanks, Isaac."

"I mean, I'm not saying our friends are bitches." Scott tilts his head.

"But we're bitches." Isaac winks.

"I get it's difficult to fit in with us. We're weird and all very different and one's got a baby in her stomach and...that's my baby." Scott blinks. "Holy _shit_."

"Scott." Stiles clicks his fingers in his friends face.

"Yeah." Scott nods. "Lydia's literally amazing. Remember Isaac's ex?"

"Let's not bring up my ex-"

"Erica! Erica, remember her?" Scott beams.

"Oh, I remember her." Stiles grins at Isaac.

"That was awful. Remember when you brought her to Kira's twentieth birthday party? She yelled at my mom for ordering pepperoni and called us all animal murderers."

Scott's now howling and leaning back on the grass. Stiles is joining him.

"Hey, didn't she throw up on your shoes?" Stiles points at Scott.

Scott laughs and then pauses. "No. No, dude, that was _you_."

"You've made your point, you bastards." Isaac yells.

"What were you thinking?" Scott laughs some more.

"Love is blind." Isaac shrugs.

"Bullshit, were you in love with her." Stiles frowns with a smirk.

"No, but holy shit was that good sex." Isaac nods as he reminisces. Then he makes it worse. "Hey, Lydia and sex. Thoughts?"

"You're a fucking idiot." Stiles leans over Scott and thumps Isaac on the head.

{}

 

It's getting late and they've run out of alcohol and Stiles and Scott are getting emotional and everyone knows that means it's time to call it a night.

Stiles says goodbye to the dent in the wall in the kitchen where he and Allison attempted DIY. He kissed the last step of the stairs where Scott tripped and fell last year.

Allison drags Scott away from Stiles and Lydia thanks them for the amazing night. They say goodbye to Noah and get an uber home.

They get in, eat mint chocolate chip ice cream and have amazing drunk sloppy sex. And on the second round, they accidentally knock heads and cannot continue where they're laughing so much.

They sleep until noon. Stiles makes breakfast and Lydia grabs two aspirins and a bottle of water and they take the food back to bed.

"Last night was so much fun." Lydia grins as she accepts everyone's friend requests on Facebook.

"It was. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." Stiles smiles. Lydia scrolls through the pictures Malia has tagged them in.

"Look at this. Look how drunk and happy we are." Lydia laughs at the picture of them both.

"Well, that turned out not as bad as I assumed." Stiles squints at her phone.

Lydia laughs and scrolls through more. "You know, I've never had this."

Stiles takes a bite of his eggs benedict. "Had what?"

"Parties, get togethers with your friends. Your _best_ friends." Lydia comments on a photo of Scott doing a handstand and chugging a can of beer. "I'd throw house parties - people would talk about them all year - but it was all fake and I'd never get too drunk because the people at _my_ parties couldn't care less if they accidentally knocked over my mother's expensive vase or spilled wine on the carpet."

"They sound like assholes."

"God, they _were_. None of them were my _friends_. I was so engrossed with popularity and climbing the ladder that I didn't actually have any friends. You have friends. Childhood friends. Your friend's friends. Your friend's boss, younger friends you used to go to school with. Even your parents were there having the times of their lives. It was so refreshing."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. It was nice to enjoy being drunk with a bunch of twenty-somethings who kind of have their lives together, kinda just done five tequila shots in a row." Lydia smiles.

"I'm glad you're experiencing it. Everyone loves you. More than me, I think." Stiles smirks.

Lydia laughs, wiping ketchup from the side of Stiles' mouth. 

"Stiles Stilinski, you are a goddamn blessing."

She loves him, and he loves her.


	7. May

It's a hot day in New York, so Stiles and Lydia make the most of it and meet up on their lunches to sit in Central Park with a picnic. Stiles has loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves and Lydia has pushed her pencil skirt up higher so she can get some sun to her legs.

She's laughing, licking fruit juice off of her fingers and dipping her shades every now and then to send Stiles an eye roll after he says something stupid.

It's perfect. It's all so perfect.

Until he remembers she's going in for surgery next week.

It hits him in waves, and he can only assume it does with Lydia, too. But as soon as she smiles or curses at a fly imposing in on her space, he forgets and all the worry melts away until the next wave.

Stiles is finishing off the last sandwhich Lydia prepared when she frowns at the screen of her phone.

"Allison has invited me to lunch with Malia and Kira. Should I be worried?"

Thank _god_ for Allison Argent.

"Not at all!" Stiles sits up. "They like you, Lydia. You're a likeable person, get used to it."

Her nose scrunches at this and she begins to type an answer back to Allison when she pauses and looks at Stiles over her shades. He'll never not love the colour of her eyes.

"Do they...know? About-"

"No." Stiles shakes his head. "It's not my place to tell people."

She smiles at this as she continues her texting.

Then Stiles feels immediately bad and like an awful human being. "Actually, tell a lie...I told my dad. I'm so sorry, it was after our first date-"

She smiles even harder and takes off her shades. "Stilinski, relax. You have good intentions and I'm grateful. And thank you for not telling your friends. I'd prefer it if they didn't know."

"Lydia, you don't have to thank me." He shakes his head. "Like I said, it's not my place."

She puts her phone down and leans towards him, rubbing off what Stiles can assume is a crump from his lip. "Can it be your place tonight?"

His stomach twists. He loves her so much. "Sure. Maddie can see my amazing man cave for the first time."

Lydia puts her shades back on. "Stiles, I've already told you. Star Wars artwork and a signed Mets glove in a display unit is not a man cave."

Stiles' mouth drops open.

She grins. "Nor will it ever be."

{}

"Stilinski, a word?" That's the first thing Stiles hears when he walks back into the office.

Grumbling to himself, he stops himself from stomping his feet like a child as he enters his boss' office and closes the door behind him.

"I've completed the paperwork from my last assignment, sir, as well as fill in the missing imput on Davis' behalf and will continue to do so until he's back from anual leave-"

"I haven't called you in here to drill you, Stiles."

Holy shit. They're back on first name terms.

"Oh! Okay, nice. Always good news."

"I actually wanted to ask..." his boss swallows, laces his hands together. "Is everything okay?"

Stiles blinks. "I'm sorry?"

"Well, after my anger simmered from you letting me down on the Thailand assignment, I realized I didn't really deal with the situation well. I didn't even ask you in detail the reason, and you seem a little distant and shy on new cases, and you also said you'd need some varied time off for appointments. Is everything alright? Are you okay?"

Stiles is shocked and he probably looks like a deer in headlights. "Jones, everything's fine. _I'm_ fine, no health problems. It's...it's my girlfriend who's having the appointments. I promise, I truley am sorry for letting you down and nothing is stopping me from working future assignments, honestly. I love my job so much but I love my girlfriend more and I need to be here. For her, for my dad, my friends...for _me_. I just-I can't leave."

His boss folds his arms. Good lord, he's fired.

"Stilinski, why didn't you just tell me this instead of that 'it's in the name of love' bullshit you pulled on me? You do realize that your job is completely safe, right? You don't have to worry about asking for certain types of assignments. You're allowed to come to me with requests."

Stiles exhales and blows out his cheeks. "I'm sorry, looking back I totally dealt with that all...wrong. But is that okay? I don't want to be _that guy_ who's letting you down and only wants to work certain cases-"

"Stiles, you're one of my best workers."

" _What?_ "

"This may come as a shock to you - trust me, it's come as a shock to me, too."

"W-Okay-"

"I didn't think you were going to last a week when you first started."

"Right..."

"Your paperwork was lousy, you would always have sauce on your tie-"

"Got it, sir."

"But you've surprised me and I'm impressed. So anything you want, just ask."

"Wow! O-okay, how about a pay rise?"

His boss laughs loudly. "A pay rise! You're funny, Stilinski."

{}

"Maddie, I have a plan." That's the first thing that Stiles says when he opens the door.

Lydia raises an eyebrow. "Hello to you, too."

"Hey." Stiles smiles sweetly, pecking her on the cheek before helping with hers and Maddie's overnight bags.

"What's the plan?" Maddie asks, taking in her surroundings as she walks.

"You sound on board even though you haven't heard the plan. I like that." Stiles fist bumps her. "So, I recorded this program on Discovery Channel for you - it's about the first spaceship made-"

"Yes, I wanted to see that! Thank you." The little girl grins.

"You are very much welcome. And then _after_ , I have popcorn in the microwave and each Star Wars film lined up and ready to go because a little birdy told me that you've never seen them. To be quite frank, I'm outraged by this news."

Stiles follows the girls into his front room.

Maddie raises an eyebrow, looks at his artwork on the wall. "I can tell you're a fan."

"I am, but I am bewildered fan and I will not rest until you've seen all of the films." Stiles sighs, ignoring Lydia's eye roll.

Maddie exhales. "Okay. As long as I get to watch my program first."

"Alright! Nice, this is happening. Tea?"

And that is how the three of them end up snuggled up on the sofa, Maddie asleep in Lydia's lap and the credits to the first film are rolling on the screen.

"So...?"

Lydia yawns, side eyes Stiles.

"Come on, I know your yawn. That was fake." Stiles squints.

"Okay." Lydia purses her lips. "As films go, that wasn't a bad one."

Stiles cheers silently.

"I still don't understand the hype, however."

"That doesn't bother me." Stiles shakes his head. "You've admitted it's not a bad film. That's enough for little old me."

When Lydia yawns, Stiles decides to switch the tv off, lock the front door and call it a night. Lydia carries Maddie to the spare room up stairs (Stiles does attempt to carry the child himself but naturally gives in when Lydia sends him the death glare) and they both brush their teeth and get into bed.

There's something about this moment, when Lydia sets her alarm and puts her phone on charge and she plumps up the pillow the way she likes it that feels so natural to Stiles yet so foreign.

It's like she's been here forever, that Maddie has slept down the hall countless of times. Like this routine has been _their_ routine. But then it's new, it's exciting, it's different.

Something Stiles never really expected in his near future but something he feels he needed.

"Hey," he settles into a comfortable position to face her. "Lets play twenty-one questions."

She's braiding her hair down her back and Stiles can't quite fathom how she's doing this 1) without looking, and 2) without her arms breaking and she sends him a look, exactly like the look when he first suggested this game: face to face in a diner, with one black coffee and one milky coffee and guarenteed diabetes.

"So this game is going to be a regular occurance?" Lydia raises an eyebrow, a playful smile on her lips.

"It worked well the first time so it most certainly will be." Stiles squints at her. "Night or day?"

Lydia finishes wrapping a hair band around the end of the plait. "Day. Breakfast or dinner?"

"One-hundred percent dinner. Walking or driving?"

"After being in your death trap of a car, walking." Lydia grins as she lays down and turns to face Stiles.

His mouth hangs open. "Very funny. You have to ask me a question."

She thinks about it, really hard. He can see it in her eyes and he waits for a really indepth and probably traumatizing question to come out her mouth.

"DC or Marvel?"

He blinks, lifts his head from his pillow. "What?"

"That's not a valid answer."

"Out of _all_ the questions-"

She sucks her teeth and places her hand on his arm. "Clearly I hit a nerve."

He stares at her before shaking his head. "It caught me off guard, is all. And I can't choose between the two."

"Because Marvel is better?"

"It's not _better_ , I mean, the comics weren't as good-"

"But the cinematic side of it is _so_ much greater than DC's cinematic-"

"Hey, DC have made some great films!"

"I beg to differ. I can safetly say the only film I actually got into was Wonder Woman-"

"What about Suicide Squad? Come on."

"...Eh."

"Eh?"

Lydia laughs quietly. "Eh." 

"Unbelievable."

"I just find the characters from Marvel more...human."

"What, you've seen all the films?" Stiles raises an eyebrow.

Lydia gasps. "Matter of fact, I _have_. All of them."

It's Stiles' turn to gasp. "No way."

"Way. And the shows." 

"The shows? Wh-even Agents of-"

"It gets really good after the first few episodes!" Lydia argues.

"Wow. You're shocking me tonight. I feel like I'm in bed with a complete stranger."

Lydia clamps her hand over Stiles' mouth and shuffles closer. "You are the definition of judging a book by it's cover. Or judging a show by it's first episode."

Stiles wraps his fingers around Lydia's wrist and holds it to his chest. "Alright. I'll strike up a deal with you."

"Oh, lord."

"If I watch Agents of Shield with you, then you have to watch the DC films with me."

Lydia grimaces. "Including-?"

"No- _god_ no. Not the Green Lantern."

"Good." Lydia sighs, her finger tracing along Stiles' pajama shirt. "You have to watch _every_ episode."

Stiles thinks for a second. "How many seasons are there?"

"Five. It's been renewed for a sixth."

That's when he grins and his heart grows a little bigger for Lydia. "Ms Martin, you are a straight up nerd."

She laughs, a big laugh and there's a pang in Stiles' chest where his heart feels like it's growing too quickly and she wraps her fingers around the neck of his shirt. "I'm the hottest nerd you'll ever meet."

Stiles stares at her, with her plaited hair and her bare face and that beautiful grin and those eyes he could get lost in so goddamn easily and he wraps his arms around her waist and presses her to him. "Oh, you fucking bet."

{}

So Stiles doesn't completely ignore the mechanic's never-ending list of things wrong with Roscoe.

He replaces one of the back tyres and decides that ticking off one thing is good enough. He'll tick off the rest another time.

Driving to the new postcode that Allison gave him feels weird. He much preferred knowing exactly where he was driving to and knowing that there would be a space for his jeep underneath the lamppost outside their old home.

And he preferred knowing he'd walk back to his car after his visit and find a note underneath his wiper blade which read ' **STOP PARKING YOUR CRAPPY JEEP IN MY SPOT'**.

He much preferred knowing it was Scott and Allison's douchebag neighbour who Stiles is pretty sure spends his entire day cutting the hedges at the front of his drive. Asshole.

When Stiles pulls up to the new home, it feels weird. He doesn't have a parking spot and he doesn't know any of the douchebag neighbours and he doesn't know what it looks like inside.

But then he sees Scott closing the garage door with a box under one arm and from what Stiles can make out from his open window, he's humming to himself. He seems so at home.

So Stiles claims his new parking space, gets out the jeep and decides he will enjoy this home.

"Simon across the road is going to be so pissed at you. That's his spot." Scott calls out once he's aware of his best friend's presence.

"Fantastic. Already feeling like you never moved." Stiles smiles smugly before patting Scott's back. "I hope you have lunch because I'm starving."

When they walk into the house, Stiles takes in his surroundings. It's bigger, brighter and homelier (he never thought that would be possible) than their last house. He likes it.

"You're in luck." Scott lowers his voice after closing the door. "Allison's going through a phase."

"A phase?" Stiles frowns, placing his keys on the table in the hall. "What phase-"

"Hey, Stiles!" Allison appears, her hair up in a short pony tail and she's wearing an apron with the outline of a hula girl's body on it which Stiles can guarentee Scott purchased. "You're just in time. I've baked cookies and brownies, and there's a key lime pie in the oven."

She kisses Stiles on the cheek before brushing her hands down her apron. Stiles raises his eyebrows at Scott. "Wow, Allison. Didn't know you were keen on-"

Scott shakes his head quickly. "Can't wait to try them, Al."

She santers back into the kitchen and Stiles glares at Scott. "What-"

"Do _not_ point out things that she wasn't doing before being pregnant. I beg of you." Scott whispers. "She flips out. She doesn't like that she's changing."

Stiles laughs but stops when Scott shoots him a glare. "It's just baking."

"No, Stiles. It's a lot of baking with a _lot_ of hormones. Just eat the food and smile."

They settle around the kitchen table and Scott places three cups of tea down along with the food.

"Allison, these are incredible." Stiles mumbles as he eats his second brownie.

"Thanks." She beams. "Take some home for your dad. Oh, and for Lydia and Maddie. I noticed Lydia has a sweet tooth at lunch."

"I know, right?" Stiles laughs through a mouthful of food. "Where does it all go?"

Scott stares at his best friend in disgust. "You're an animal."

"How _did_ lunch go?" Stiles asks, going for a cookie instead.

"It was really nice! It's good getting to know Lydia. She's really smart and funny, plus it's helpful that I can ask her questions to do with the growing fetus in my stomach. Oh my god-and she has a _killer_ wardrobe-"

"Did you want me to leave the room?" Scott grins between the two of them. Allison shoves him.

"She should definitely hang out with us girls more. Kira and Malia love her. Malia, a little too much-"

"Coming from you." Scott keeps his grin.

"Shut up and drink your tea." Allison snaps before she turns to Stiles. "She's really easy to like."

Stiles nods with a smile. "I know."

"I totally get why you fell for her so quickly."

Stiles glances between the two faces in front of him before opting for another cookie. "I told her I love her."

Allison gasps and Scott nearly drops his tea.

"Come on, guys."

"What! When?" Allison grins.

"Before your house leaving party. May I add: awful hangover the following morning”.

"Well, I'm not surprised." Allison raises her eyebrows. "You done five tequila shots from Scott's navel."

"Did she say it back?!" Scott nearly screams at Stiles.

"She did. Yes."

"Amazing! This is...a dream." Scott whispers.

"Scott, we're not in high school."

"Yes, I'm aware. We're very much past high school and until a mere three months ago you still hadn't been involved in a serious relationship. Forgive me for feeling faint."

"Alright, alright." Stiles waves off his best friend.

"I feel like a proud father."

Stiles glares at Scott then looks at Allison.

She sighs. "You can say it-"

"Scott, shut up and drink your tea."

{}

Stiles doesn't like how quick the weeks have gone by. The eleventh of May seemed so far away but now it's here and he's bitten all the skin off of his thumb and his right leg hasn't stopped shaking.

"Wow. The doctor didn't heal your leg after all."

Stiles pulls his eyes off of the road and looks at Maddie in the passenger seat. He stops shaking his leg. Déjà vu hits him.

"It's nothing. Just a little nervous about a meeting I've got at work."

"Are you in trouble?" Maddie asks.

"No! No, not at all." Stiles smiles at her. "Just a meeting...with the big guys. Nothing to worry about."

He hates lying to her. And he's awful at it.

"Don't be nervous around them. Quoting a current meme circling the internet, 'men ain't shit'."

Stiles doesn't quite think he heard that right. But it turns out he did. He does a double take of the little girl. "Madeleine!"

"What?"

"You can't say... _that_ , I mean, it's very true but you can't swear-"

"I was quoting."

"Still doesn't make it okay! And get off social media, it's poison."

Maddie rolls her eyes. "You sound like an old man angry at the world."

He's rendered speechless, once again. "I- you know what? I can't even argue with you, it's impossible. I'll leave your mother to deal with that."

He drops her off at school and heads to the hospital, ignoring the feeling of going through the motions again.

He waits in the parking lot for Lydia and her mother and when he sees Natalie's Mercedes pull in, he sucks it up and stays positive (even though he's now biting the other thumb).

Lydia gets out the car, looking calm and collected and Stiles envies her and respects her all in one hit. He plasters on a smile. "Hey."

She approaches him and smiles before linking her hand with his. "Stop biting your thumbs."

He grimaces and lets her lead the way.

It's all a blur between then and Lydia being prepped for surgery but then it all becomes very clear and apparent when Stiles sees her in her gown and socks and her varnish stripped off.

She sends him a calm smile and it does work for five minutes but then she's being wheeled off and he's trying to keep up but then him and Natalie can't go any further so he just...stands.

He hears Natalie enter the waiting room and take a seat so he feels oblidged to do the same but he's panicking and hoping she's calm when she's being put to sleep and he hopes she's not scared and _god_ he should have said more before she-

"Stiles, it's a routine procedure." Natalie looks up from her phone. "She'll be fine."

She's looking at his shaking leg which gives the game away completely and he wanders how _she's_ so calm, too. Is it something that runs in the family? Some special kind of gene?

"You don't have to sit here for three hours if you don't want to." Natalie puts her phone in her bag and locks her hands together.

"No, I'm okay here." Stiles nods, looking around the waiting room. "Unless you wanted me to, uh, grab a drink for you-?"

"I'm okay for now, thank you." She flashes him a tight-lipped smile.

Sitting here for three hours for Lydia, he's more than happy to do. Sitting here for three hours with Lydia's _mother_ , however, is a whole other decision to be made. But he sticks it out, because he doesn't want to leave in case something happens or she comes out earlier, and also to prove a point (he's not sure what the point is, but he's going to prove it).

He nods off without realizing it when it gets to the second hour of waiting, but it's a restless and uncomfortable sleep so he jolts awake not long after. Natalie's gone and he's left with posters and pamphlets and a small television in the corner showing an old episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

He decides to pick up a pamphlet. There's one about caring for someone after a mastectomy or breast reconstruction. He begins to read and when he gets to the part about surgical drains and how to dress them and cover them, he goes a little cold. He didn't know they keep them in for a few weeks after. He reads the caring of them three times so he remembers and he makes a mental note to purchase some safety pins and cotton yarn.

He read about the showering and sleeping and diet and can safetly say that Lydia and her mother have covered it all. It seems organisation is something else that runs in the family.

He's on the last page when Natalie walks back in with two cups of hot chocolate and he passes one to Stiles without a word.

He's shocked to say the least. "Thank you."

She sits down and shoots him a smile that isn't as tight-lipped as the previous one.

{}

It takes two hours and thirty-seven minutes. Lydia is extremely high and groggy when she comes out and she looks down at her chest every few minutes and says "my boob is gone". Stiles wants to laugh, and he knows that Lydia would want him to laugh but he doesn't really want to push it with Natalie - he enjoys being on the hot chocolate stage with her.

He sits with her for another few hours and watches Lydia fall in and out of sleep and listens to her babble and he just watches her. His eyes are fixated on her.

Natalie leaves to pick up Maddie and take her back to her house so Stiles stays until it's quite clear that Lydia isn't waking up anytime soon so he goes home to shower and eat something before returning.

When Lydia wakes up this time, she stays awake. She opens her eyes and stares straight at Stiles. "What are you still doing here? Go home and eat."

Stiles smiles at her and shuffles his chair forward. "I've been home, it's okay. The nurse said visiting hours are until eight-thirty so, unfortunately for you, you have me for another three and a half hours."

Lydia grins. "Lucky me."

Stiles smile fades when Lydia shifts slightly and grimaces at the movement. He gets up. "Do you want me to move your pillow? Is the pain bad? Shall I call a nurse?"

"Is this another game of twenty-one questions?"

Stiles stares at her.

"I'm fine. They're still pumping me with painkillers." She points at one of the drips next to her bed.

Stiles nods and stares at the hanging bag of blood. "You better hope that whoever's blood that is, they're a smartass."

Lydia laughs and stares at the bag, too. "Oh, sweetie, these smarts are too big to be pushed out by some basic bitch's blood."

Stiles snickers and laces his hand in Lydia's. "Maddie swore today."

Lydia's eyes open a little wider. "Was it the 'men ain't shit' phrase?"

Stiles exhales. "Yes!"

"Ugh. That little..." Lydia mutters. "She created her own Twitter account a few months back. I had to delete it _and_ the email she created _and_ change all the settings on her iPad."

Stiles holds in a laugh.

"But, of course, she has a photographic memory and it's impossible to wipe. She reenacted this video, a Vine I think, of a girl wearing these glasses, with Take On Me playing in the background...?"

Stiles stifles a loud laugh. "I know the one."

"You found it funny, didn't you."

"No. Not at all." Stiles shakes his head.

Lydia sighs. "I forget she's all but six."

Stiles nods, squeezes her hand.

They spend the next ten minutes in silence, with Stiles' head leaning on the edge of the bed and Lydia running a hand through his hair. It's peaceful, apart from the machinary beeping in the background.

"How does it feel?" Stiles whispers after a lengthy silence.

"Weird." Lydia frowns. "I haven't...felt it yet, it's too sore. But I know something's missing."

"Does it make you feel different?"

Lydia thinks for a second. "I'm not sure."

"Well, for the record, you've never seemed more yourself." Stiles whispers.

Lydia looks down at him and smiles, sticking up the ends of his hair.

"You need a haircut."


End file.
